The headteacher of a primary school which has been unable to open since the end of the Christmas holidays because of the cold weather has said the decision to close has been “terrifying” and “really stressful”.
Rachel Tomlinson, head of Barrowford Primary School in Nelson, Lancashire, said the plunging temperatures meant it was too dangerous to welcome returning pupils.
Dozens of schools have been closed in the north-west of England this week after a flurry of snow turned to snow.
Ms Tomlinson said the school’s place situation was not the only consideration for head teachers.
“These are almost things that are out of our control,” he said BBC Radio Lancashire.
“It’s a school site but it’s the streets and alleys around the school, and ultimately if we’re open there’s about 500 people coming around that school site and it’s not safe at all.”
Ms Tomlinson, who has been head teacher for 17 years, said schools were less localized than in the past which added to the problems.
“You used to be able to go to school,” he said.
“We’ve got staff and kids coming from really long distances and balancing that responsibility and making sure everyone is safe. It’s really hard.”
He said the enforced closures disrupted the curriculum that staff had carefully planned over the festive break, but the biggest impact was emotional.
He said: “It’s been a really long week.
“Making these closing decisions is just scary, nobody wants to make these decisions, it’s really, really stressful.
“A lot of it is emotional, we feel sad not seeing our kids after the holidays.”
A yellow weather warning for snow remains in place for parts of Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, with the Met Office warning of “severe frost” and some freezing fog in places.