Kellett School; The British International School in Hong Kong Guidance for WEATHER WARNINGS The weather warning system 1. The Government has a weather warning system to provide advice to the public and to ensure a high state of readiness in dealing with emergencies, which may arise from severe weather. 2. Weather warnings are broadcasted on local television, radio as well as the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) Website and HKO smartphone/tablet Apps. 3. Individuals should be familiar with the weather warning systems to ensure their personal safety when any weather warning is in force. 4. Weather warnings affecting suspension of classes fall under the categories Rainstorm and Tropical Cyclone (Typhoon). Suspension of classes 1. If school hours are affected or school classes are suspended by a weather warning, an announcement is made on the Education Bureau website. 2. Guidance in the appendices outlines actions to be taken by the school and staff. Actions are dependent on the time of day warnings are issued. Appendices 1 & 2 are issued to our Parent Community (Appendices 3 & 4 are for Staff guidance only). 3. In the event of the suspension of classes, it is the responsibility of the School Communications Team to place relevant announcements on the homepage of the school website. 4. If local weather, road, slope or transport conditions warrant the suspension of classes at a particular campus, and an announcement has not been made by the Education Bureau to suspend classes, the school Principal (or designate) may suspend classes. 5. Suspension of classes does not necessarily imply the postponement of a public examination. Unless an announcement has been made that a public examination is cancelled or postponed, it should be assumed that the examination will continue to be held as scheduled. The School Communications Team will place relevant announcements pertaining to public examinations on the homepage of the school website. Advice to Parents 1. Ensure you know how to keep abreast of announcements made by the Hong Kong Observatory and Education Bureau. We strongly advise you to download the Hong Kong Observatory weather app. 2. Familiarise yourself and alert others within the family/household of the actions affecting attendance at and pick-up from School in adverse weather (summarized in Appendices 1 and 2) 3. If you are in doubt over the safety of your child in sending them to school, then keep them at home. This Guidance is based upon Education Bureau Circular No. 4/2016 This policy will be monitored by School Management Team Last Reviewed Date April 2018 Appendix 1: Arrangements when an Amber, Red or Black Rain Signal is in force Appendix 2: Arrangements when a Tropical Cyclone Warning is in force Appendix 3: Decision Authority and Guidance - Outdoor Activities on Campus and Educational Visits Appendix 4: School Weather Contingency Plan 1
Appendix 1: Arrangements when Amber, Red or Black Rain signal is in force - Student safety is paramount and underpins these arrangements Signal Students Arriving at Campus (PFL Campus and KLB Campus) Amber rain signal is raised at any time raised before 6am. raised between 6am and 8am. The school will operate as usual (unless the Education Bureau has made a special announcement on the suspension of classes). Classes are suspended for the entire day. Students do not come to school. School buses do not run. School activates weather contingency plan. School premises will be open. Staff will look after students who have arrived at school. Conditions should be safe (Amber or below) before allowing students to leave the campus. Classes are suspended for the entire day. Students do not come to school if they have not yet left home. School activates weather contingency plan. School premises will be open. Staff will look after students who have arrived at school. Conditions should be safe (Amber or below) before allowing students to leave the campus. A Parent / Storm Contact / Designated Adult can ask to have a student dismissed into their care on the understanding that they do so at their discretion and own risk. If buses have started their route to school, they will continue their route and pick up any students who have been deposited at the pick-up point and require to go to school for safekeeping. Students remain at home if not already departed to school. If en-route to school, students are advised to take shelter appropriately and when it is safe to do so either proceed to school or return home whichever is deemed safest. 2
Students Leaving Campus (PFL Campus and KLB Campus) Signal Amber rain signal is raised at any time raised at time of student dismissal or thereafter. This includes dismissal from evening events and examinations. Designated Adult The school will operate as usual (unless the Education Bureau has made a special announcement on the suspension of classes) and dismissal procedures will be as normal. School buses will not depart the campus until the signal is lowered to Amber or below. If the Red or Black signal is still in force beyond 5.30pm School buses will not depart the campus and alternative pick-up arrangements will have to be made. No student will leave school whilst the Red or Black signal is in force unless dismissed in to the care of a Parent or Designated Adult as outlined below. This means that conditions must be at Amber or below before (agerelevant) students are allowed to leave the campus on their own. A Parent / Storm Contact / Designated Adult can ask to have a student dismissed into their care on the understanding that they do so at their discretion and own risk. School events and activities (PFL Campus and KLB Campus) raised at 1pm or anytime thereafter Extra-curricular Programme, Peripatetic music lessons, Afternoon events (start time before 5pm) which have not already commenced: Immediate cancellation thereof. Evening events (start time at or after 5pm) which have not already commenced: The decision to proceed or postpone will be determined on a case by case basis at the School s discretion. 3
Appendix 2: Arrangements when a Tropical Cyclone Warning is in Force - Student safety is paramount and underpins these arrangements. T1 is issued The school will operate as usual (unless the Education Bureau has made a special announcement on the suspension of classes). T3 is issued Early warning is given of a T8 to be issued (Pre-T8) Reception Students: Reception classes are suspended. School activates weather contingency plan to look after Reception students who are at school or arriving at school until appropriate arrangements are made for Reception students to return home. Y1 to Y13 Students: School will operate as usual unless advised otherwise. Y1 Y13 students living on the outlying islands attend at their parent's discretion. Classes are suspended. School activates weather contingency plan. School premises will be open for the safe-keeping of students. Staff will look after students. Conditions should be safe (T3 or lower) before allowing students to leave the campus. KLB Campus Arrival: If buses have started their route to school, they will continue their route and pick up any students who have been deposited at the pick-up point and require to go to school for safekeeping. PFL Campus Arrival: If buses have started their route to school, they will continue their route and pick up any students who have been deposited at the pick-up point and require to go to school for safekeeping. Departure: buses will run to take students home as soon as possible once conditions are safe (T3 or lower). Departure: buses will not run and alternative pick-up arrangements will have to be made. Designated Adult Arrival: Students remain at home if not already departed to school. If en-route to school, students are advised to take shelter appropriately and when it is safe to do so either proceed to school or return home whichever is deemed safest. Departure: Students will be dismissed as long as conditions are safe (T3 or lower). Arrival and Departure: A Parent / Storm Contact / Designated Adult can ask to have a student dismissed into their care on the understanding that they do so at their discretion and own risk. 4
T8 is issued Classes are suspended. School activates weather contingency plan. School premises will be open. Staff will look after students. Conditions should be safe (T3 or lower) before allowing students to leave the campus. Designated Adult Arrival: If buses have started their route to school, they will continue their route and pick up any students who have been deposited at the pick-up point and require to go to school for safekeeping. Departure: No bus will leave campus. If buses have left campus they will continue their route and drop students off in the usual manner. If Prep students are not met at the bus stop they will be taken to the nearest campus for safety. Arrival: Remain at home if not already departed to school. If en-route to school, students are advised to take shelter appropriately and when it is safe to do so either proceed to school or return home whichever is deemed safest. Departure: No student will leave school unless with an adult as outlined below. Arrival and Departure: A Parent / Storm Contact / Designated Adult can ask to have a student dismissed into their care on the understanding that they do so at their discretion and own risk. T8 is replaced by T3 T3 is replaced by T1 or when all signals cancelled Reception classes remain suspended. If Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 3 has been issued before 5:30 a.m. Y1 to Y13 classes are to resume. Y1-Y13 students from the outlying islands attend at their parent s discretion. All classes resume at the beginning of the next school day. School Events and Activities (PFL Campus and KLB Campus) T3 or higher is raised Immediate cancellation of: Extra-curricular Programme, Peripatetic music lessons, Afternoon events, Evening events 5