Schools and colleges should close on Monday September 19 for the Queen’s funeral which will be a bank holiday, the government announced this evening.
King Charles III approved an order for the funeral to be a bank holiday today at St James’s Palace in London as he was formally declared head of state.
In an email to schools and colleges, the Department for Education said: “The official date of the State Funeral is 19 September 2022.
“This day will be a bank holiday and settings that are normally closed on a bank holiday should close on this day as a mark of respect. This will include schools and colleges.”
The DfE added that for schools and further education settings normal attendance is expected throughout the national mourning period, other than the bank holiday. The bank holiday will mark the end of the mourning period.
But education leaders “continue to have the power to authorise leaves of absence for pupils in exceptional circumstances”. Any requests for leave of absence should be “considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account individual circumstances”.
The DfE also confirmed that Ofsted inspections will continue as normal through the mourning period, but no inspections will be scheduled on the bank holiday.
Schools should “discuss any concerns with Ofsted, including whether they are facing exceptional circumstances that might warrant deferral of their inspection”.
Ofsted did however tell Schools Week yesterday that it will pause publishing reports during the mourning period.
What about the independent school caterers struggling to provide primary children’s lunches at an already unrealistic government allowance of £2.41 per meal. With rising food, fuel costs and crippling increases in the price of gas and electricity many are already struggling. Now on top of this the out of touch so called leaders of the country snatch away a days income. How can I not pay my staff for the day when they, like nearly all other people in the country, are reliant on every penny of household income just to survive? Yet who will pay us to pay them? Every day is vital to the educational development of our young children we are told, so don’t take the odd day off to get that cheap flight or holiday deal or else! But let’s just shut schools when it gets a little warm, or just chuck in another unscheduled Bank Holiday! It doesn’t matter if it is the authorities who snatch precious hours of learning opportunities.
I am sympathetic to the members of the Royal family in their time of loss but surely there are plenty of ways schools can arrange for all to pay their respects without pupils losing a whole day of education.
Why would we need to close schools? It strikes me that the poorest pupils will be denied access to their free school meals… surely if one needs to make a tribute, do a silence and some words during the school day
Sorry but normal life must continue a lot of children cannot deviate from their normal schedules i.e children and people with autism.
What about shop workers I’m a cleaner in our local super market I know I would like to have the day off to pay my respects why can’t they close like they do on Christmas day she was our Queen too why are you only including a select few when we all deserve the right to pay respect
Our hospitals can’t close and many of my colleagues have children.We are short staffed as it is!!
I think everywhere should be closed out of respect and that means shops and pubs
I don’t agree with schools closing! Kids have lost time in school and their education has struggled enough, they should be able to go to school, also I’m going to loose a day pay now as I will have to stay home to look after the kids, money is tight enough
Wouldn’t it be better to keep the children in schools maybe educate them about the the Queen and the Royal Family, most children don’t even understand who she is or what she did for the country…
I will miss the queen she did us all proud
I totally agree.I think ” everywhere ” should close for the 2.day.including corner shops.convenience stores and the smaller ” local ” supermarkets. As a sign of respect.
I think they should close schools on that day because its respect and as tbe queen was a very special surely they should allow everyone to watch the queens funeral.