Closure & Absence

In the event of closure (eg. inclement weather)

Please be reminded that Jigsaw remains open unless specifically notified otherwise.

We are aware that weather conditions can vary across the county and any decision to close will be made based on weather conditions here (ie. in/around Dunsfold Park), so we would ask that you also use your discretion on whether to travel or not based on conditions in your local area.

Any closures will be notified via our messaging service and posted on websites as early as possible on the morning of any closure with the reason given and date of closure.

NOTE: a closure notice will only be relevant for the day it is posted, ie. unless a further notification is made, Jigsaw will re-open as usual the next morning.  

It is possible that transport companies may take the decision not to provide transport to us, if conditions are severe and unsafe – this decision will be taken independently of whether JigsawPlus is open or closed, and will be based on the road conditions in your home area and any information the transport company has about the road conditions in our area and in between.

If our adult learners have been taken to JigsawPlus in the morning by their transport provider and the weather severely worsens during the day and is not safe to provide return transport, it is parents/carers responsibility to collect them as soon as possible.

If your morning transport has been cancelled due to adverse weather, it is assumed transport will be also cancelled for the afternoon journey. If parents/carers decide to bring their adult learner into JigsawPlus themselves, they will be responsible for collecting them.

Where an adult learner travels by taxi and the taxi service will not be operating due to the weather conditions, the taxi company is required to contact the parents of the adult learners on their routes to advise them. Taxi companies are then required to advise JigsawPlus and LA if any of their routes have been cancelled.

In the event of early closure (eg. due to worsening weather, lack of heating, etc)

We will notify Jigsaw parents and carers in the first instance via our messaging service of any early closure.

Please note that parents/carers are responsible for ensuring their adult learner is collected from JigsawPlus in accordance with the closure notification and in a timely manner, whether this is to collect themselves or by their usual transport company.  If you collect yourself, it remains your responsibility to notify your transport company of any change to the usual routine.

Parents should follow the usual absence reporting policy and inform JigsawPlus via [email protected] or 01483 277366 of their adult learner’s absence for any reason.  Equally, for known/pre-planned absences, an authorised absence request must be made by emailing the client information email.

Similarly, if a learner is scheduled to arrive late or leave early, please ensure you have emailed [email protected] to confirm the reason for the change and the specific timings.

Note re. sickness absences: if a learner has suffered any sickness and/or diarrhoea, they must remain offsite for a period of 48 hours following the last occurrence.

Any absences on the day need to be reported by 8.30am.

In order to administer medication at JigsawPlus, we must have the following information sent to us via email to [email protected] beforehand:

1. Name of medication
2. Purpose of medication
3. When medication will start
4. When medication will end (if only temporary)
5. Dose to be given
6. When to be given (time of day)
7. Any other relevant instructions (eg. to be administered an hour before food, etc)
8. How to be administered (eg. swallowed whole with water, etc)
9. If medication is to stay onsite at JigsawPlus or returned home at the end of each day

Medication must be in the original packaging with the pharmacy prescription label attached.  If there is no pharmacy label, we will need a letter from the GP instead.

If liquid medication, we ideally need the bottle to be unopened and still sealed.  If tablet medication, we require tablets to be in the original, intact, packaging and not cut. We must be able to clearly see the expiry date on the pill packet to be able to administer.

If medication needs to be administered differently to how it states on the packaging, we will need these instructions either on the prescription label or via a letter from the GP, (eg. if box says to swallow tablets whole, but the learner needs them crushed up, we need confirmation from the GP that the medication can be administered this way).