Freezing weather forces The Academy Selsey to close

External pipes were frozen which resulted in the Academy shutting today.

And with the forecast of further very cold weather to come the decision was made to close until Monday March 5.

In a letter to parents/carers headteacher Tom Garfield says: “The closure today was due to the fact that, as the external pipes were frozen, we had insufficient toilet facilities or access to drinking water. Obviously this presents a health and safety issue for students and staff alike. Whilst the key priority for us is the education of the young people this must not compromise their basic needs.

“Current indications from the Met Office are that temperatures are to remain well below zero for the next couple of days. Therefore, taking this into account in conjunction with advice from the experts who have been working with us today, it is extremely unlikely that the frozen pipe work will thaw before the weekend.

“We have therefore made the difficult decision to keep the school closed on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd March. We hope that making this decision early gives you the opportunity to make suitable arrangements for your children.”