The cold weather conditions needed for schools to close as temperatures plummet across Ireland

Met Eireann has warned of temperatures plummeting to -4 degrees this week, as a low temperature and ice warning has been issued for the entire country.

The advisory will remain in place until 10.00am on Thursday, November 21st, so the upcoming school and work morning is due to be a frosty one.

The RSA has warned drivers and pedestrian alike to take the relevant precautions involved when travelling in icy conditions, but how cold would it have to be for school to be called off for the day?

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Due to the drop in temperatures, it's worth knowing the conditions under which schools would consider closing - although it is a rare event that this happens.

If schools or businesses were to close, it is more likely due to road conditions caused by the weather, than the actual weather itself.

If there are dangerous conditions on roads and walkways such as ice or black ice, or hardened snow that may cause staff, pupils or the wider school community to sustain an injury while traversing, then schools may consider not opening for health and safety reasons.

However, it is most likely that if these conditions are to occur, they will be monitored and removed before school arrival and departure times, allowing everyone to get to where they need to be safely in the vast majority of circumstances.

There are some other effects of the cold weather that may cause a school to close, such as improper conditions around heating in the school.

According to the Irish National Teachers Organisation, classrooms need to be heated to minimum of 16C by 10AM or within one hour of opening.

If there is an issue with the heating, and this condition cannot be met, then classes can be cancelled.

Most schools operate with a text messaging system to inform parents and guardians of issues such as this, and so the school community will be up to date on the matter, or may be aware of a potential issue ahead of time.

According to the Office of Emergency Planning, schools and Early Learning and Childcare settings should conduct a pre-event evaluation of what should be, or could be, in place to ensure their opening in the event of severe weather and prevent unnecessary closures.

The decision to close a school or ELC is the responsibility of the management authority, who are expected to consider the direction available from response agencies such as An Garda Síochána.

"Any decision to close is taken in the interest of child safety, having assessed the local risks and having consulted, as appropriate, with school transport operators," the Office of Emergency Planning instructs.

Some of the issues that settings take into account include:

• conditions in the setting itself
• capacity of the setting to ensure the health and safety of children and students
• ability of parents, students, staff and school transport services to safely negotiate local road conditions to reach the setting
• guidance and direction from the principal response agencies

Weather forecasts should be monitored so that schools can be prepared, particularly ahead of weather that leads to dangerous conditions such very strong winds.

"A decision may have to be taken on health and safety grounds based on the advice available to the school or ELC during a Status Red warning related to wind.

"Settings should plan for such an eventuality by considering how children, students and staff can be accommodated within the setting while awaiting an improvement in the weather," advises the Office of Emergency Planning.