Schools across the UK are having to shut down because Thames Water has a massive pipe burst that's apparently leaking 750 litres every second. If you've got kids in affected areas, you might want to check with the school about whether they're staying open or going remote. Pretty wild that this is still happening in 2026 with our water infrastructure.
Contact your kid's school directly - ring them up or check their website and email for updates. They'll have the latest info on whether they're closing, going remote, or staying open. Most schools post notices pretty quickly when there's disruption like this, so you should get a straight answer without too much hassle.
If the school hasn't put anything out yet, check the local council's website or Thames Water's own updates. They usually have maps showing affected areas and timelines for when things might be sorted. You could also ask other parents in your area - someone's usually got the gossip first anyway.
Don't just assume your school's affected based on the general news. These things vary massively by postcode, and some areas inland won't see much impact while others near the main pipes get hit hard. Once you know what's happening at your kid's place, you can plan whether you need to sort out childcare or set up for remote learning.
The school should already be communicating directly with parents, so if you haven't heard anything yet, that's actually a good sign - it probably means they're staying open or have contingency plans in place. Rather than waiting around, it's worth checking their website or social media first since schools often post updates there before sending emails, which can get buried. If nothing's posted and you're genuinely unsure, a quick call during office hours will get you a straight answer, but honestly most schools have dealt with enough disruptions over recent years that they're pretty quick to let parents know if closures are happening.
the burst is serious but schools usually have backup water supplies and won't shut down unless it's genuinely unsafe! my neighbor's kid had a similar situation last year when there was an issue in their area and the school stayed open fine - they just had some restrictions on water use for a couple days.
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