A SOUTHBOURNE headteacher, whose school remained open yesterday despite the snow, has praised the ‘Blitz spirit’ among his staff.

St Peter’s, a primary and secondary school based over two sites in Southbourne and Iford, was open as usual with some three-quarters of its staff making it in, although only around a quarter of pupils attended.

Headteacher David Todd, who started at the Catholic school in September last year, said there was a tradition among staff of carrying on, whatever the conditions were like.

“My predecessor Anthony McCaffrey only shut the school once in 20 years, that was about two years ago when the snowfall really was heavy, and he was quite aggrieved at that,” he said.

“In the morning we assessed whether staff and students could get in, and get home again, and whether the site was safe. We have blocked off a couple of sloping areas but it is just slush really, there is no reason the school can’t open.

“But every school is different and has its own problems.

“There is a real ‘Spirit of the Blitz’ attitude among the staff, some of them had an extra hour on their journeys this morning, but they came in and got on with adapting class groups and lesson plans without the need for any directives from the management.”