DfE issues guidance for education settings on national mourning and the Queen's funeral

It is also at the discretion of individual out-of-school settings or wraparound childcare providers whether they close or stay open.

Schools will close on Monday, in line with other bank holidays.

The Department for Education (DfE) has shared guidance on national mourning for early years settings, out-of school and wraparound childcare, schools, colleges and higher education providers, regarding the Queen’s funeral on 19 September, which will officially be a Bank Holiday.

It confirms that the official date of the state funeral will be a bank holiday. The specific section of the guidance for early years on the national mourning period states, ‘As with other bank holidays, it is at the discretion of individual settings whether they close or stay open.’

It continues, ‘There is no obligation for settings to observe particular behaviours during the mourning period. Depending on the nature and location of your setting and the tone of planned events, some settings may wish to consider closing or postponing events, especially on the day of the State Funeral, however this is at the discretion of individual settings.

It adds, ‘Settings may want to consider conducting special activities or adapting planned activities to reflect the period of National Mourning and commemorate the life of Her Majesty.’

The guidance aims to provide education and childcare settings with an explanation of National Mourning and outline some practical advice on how sectors may wish to observe public mourning during this period.

It says that public services will continue, and ‘we recognise education settings may want to take the opportunity to commemorate Her Majesty with appropriate events.’

The guidance is ‘advisory’ for all education sectors, ‘Each setting will need to consider their individual circumstances’, it states.

Ofsted inspections will continue as normal, but no inspections will be scheduled on the bank holiday.

Schools are not expected to stay open on the day of the Queen’s funeral, which should be treated as any normal bank holiday, the guidance states.

The guidance also points to Cabinet Office National Mourning guidance and https://www.royal.uk and https://www.gov.uk for further information.

A correction was made to this article on Tuesday 13 September to clarify that it is up to out-of-school and wraparound childcare settings to decide whether they close or stay open on the day of the Queen's funeral.