THE experience of little Duncan Howie, in the playground at Cardenden Primary School has really asked a lot of questions about how school playgrounds are treated in freezing weather.

Clearly there is degrees of what the term freezing weather means because there is a big difference between snow and frosty conditions.

Fife Council have made it clear that the priority is to ensure the path from the entrance to school grounds leading to the main building is safely passable for children.

If there is capacity to grit the remainder of the playground it could be tackled but the main thing would seem to be is having the people to deal with pretty big areas like a playground.

The condition of playgrounds is important to headteachers and staff of schools as to whether they can let kids go out at break time or during the lunch break.

The likes of snow is a clear cut case, but when frost strikes it provides a different problem. If fully gritted the playground will be safe but it will depend on the volume of janitorial staff available to any particular school if this can be achieved.

It certainly is going to be a difficult situation for headteachers to deal for as the winter develops, inevitably there will be frosty periods bringing with it playground circumstances which will ask questions.