What rights do parents have if snow forces their child's school to close?

HUNDREDS of schools across the country have closed this week due to snow and ice as temperatures dropped below freezing.

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School closures can lead to fun-filled snow days for pupils, below, while causing a headache for many parents and carers

It means that instead of returning to school after the holidays, thousands of children have stayed home on Monday and Tuesday, which can be difficult for parents and carers who were planning to work.

Here is a guide to school closures, including how decisions are made, and any rights parents have if their child's school is closed.

This differs by school - most will have their own methods for contacting parents for alerts such as closures, whether that is by email, text, or using a specific app. Many schools will also post updates on their websites.

Most local councils also post lists of school closures in their area that can be found by searching online.

For example, on Tuesday, North Yorkshire Council listed 50 schools with closures.