With the recent bad weather that we have experienced over the last few days, we thought it was a good time to remind you of OpenCheck. This free information service was developed by LGfL and Atomwide.
OpenCheck provides parents and pupils with convenient methods for checking whether a school is open, re-opening or closed on a given date. The status information can be updated by appropriate school or LA staff at any time, thereby ensuring that an up-to the minute report is always available.
The primary mechanism for checking a school's status is the OpenCheck web site at http://map.lgfl.org.uk/opencheck/ which allows the selection of a school by picking options from drop-down lists of LAs and establishments, or by using a map. Colour-coded icons provide at-a-glance indication of the status of schools with further details appearing below the drop-down lists and also next to the user's mouse pointer as it moves over each symbol.
As an alternative, the status of a school can be checked by calling the OpenCheck phone line. An automated system prompts for the schools seven-digit DfE code, then responds by reading out the appropriate status message and last update time.
For each school, keeping status information up-to-date is easily achieved through the LGfL support site. Suitably privileged staff users, including the Head Teacher and USO Nominated Contacts, can access a page within the secure area of the site that allows the current message to be changed - either to one of a range of standard options, or alternatively to a completely custom sentence. The date and time of the last update, along with the name of the person making that change, is automatically recorded. The revised status is made available to end users almost instantly.
For more information: OpenCheck
You can download a PDF with key information here: SF_USO-OpenCheck
