Schools should “remain open” during the national period of mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, headteachers have been told in an email sent by the Department of Education (DfE) this evening.
The department added that schools ”may want to consider conducting special activities, holding assemblies or adapting planned lessons to reflect the period of national mourning and commemorate the life of Her Majesty”.
By contrast, the DfE said that early years providers “may wish to consider closing or postponing events…depending on the nature and location” of the setting.
The DfE email told heads that “while normal attendance is expected”, school leaders “continue to have the power to authorise leaves of absence for pupils in exceptional circumstances”.
It added that further “advice on the period of national mourning”, which will run until the end of the state funeral, will be published by the Cabinet Office.
Further guidance and information will also be issued by the DfE once “details of the funeral are confirmed by the royal household”, the email said.
The email also said the DfE knows that teachers “around the country have an important role to play in reassuring children and young people at this difficult time”.
Special assemblies and adapted lessons
The department said heads “may wish to repurpose the lesson materials about the Queen’s Jubilee produced by Royal Collection Trust and The National Archives” for commemorative assemblies and adapted lessons in the coming days.
It added that primary school leaders “may also wish to adapt Queen Elizabeth: a Platinum Jubilee celebration, the commemorative book distributed to state-funded infant and junior schools across the UK earlier this year”.
