Announcement of a bank holiday for the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II

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Sent on behalf of Gareth Drawmer: Head of Service, Achievement and Learning

NationalMourningAdvisoryEducationGuidanceSept22

Dear Colleagues,

I am sure you will have seen the announcement that Monday 19th September is the confirmed date for the Queen’s funeral and that King Charles III has approved an order for this date to be a bank holiday.  The DfE has confirmed that schools and colleges will close on this day as a mark of respect.  Please see here for the national guidance, the guidance for education settings is attached above.

We would ask that you formally contact your parents/carers as soon as possible to inform them of your school closure.

The bank holiday announcement will not mean teachers will be required to teach an additional day. The DfE will reduce the minimum number of sessions for this school year via regulations and change the definitions in the school teachers’ pay and conditions document for the current year. If your school normally utilises transport provided by Buckinghamshire this will not run on the 19th unless you make a specific request to the transport team.

The DfE have also clarified that Ofsted inspections will continue as normal throughout the mourning period, but that it will pause the publication of reports.  The bank holiday will mark the end the mourning period.

Kind regards,

Gareth Drawmer

Head of Service

Achievement & Learning