Schools closed for the Queen’s funeral

[Notme1980]

First off, Queen Elizabeth II was an amazing ruler and an inspiration, we are a forces family and my husband has served her for 30 plus years.

but - I do not want the schools to be closed for her funeral (or for any reason at all), I want us to do what I believe she would have done, press on.

It's one day , maybe the schools can swap around an inset day to make up for it.
I think some people would have pulled their children out anyway to be honest ( not everyone, but many would )

No, thank you-a hall crammed full of hundreds of small children for ages is not a good idea. I’m pleased they’re closing.

11plus day too. Just want that done and dusted now but it will ve rescheduled won't it.

Fidget bum children watching pomp and ceremony wouldn't be that easy to police!
I'm sure they can make up the time.

1,500 kids sitting for 5 hours learning about the Queen.

No thanks.

The suggestions that they should be in school learning about the Queen must only be coming from parents of primary aged dc.

I would have pulled my kids for the day anyway. I emailed clients yesterday telling them if it is not a BH I would be taking the day off so therefore I will be bringing my deadlines a day forward. If it actually is the 19th I would be in the office on my own with tight deadlines so not able to watch.

This is a day that will be a historic event. I want my children to be able to talk about that event, remember it and talk about it to their children. Not say 'oh I was in school'

Schools aren't there just to make your life easier.

Swap for an inset day.

Inset days aren't days off, despite what people seem to think.

The Queen liked us to press on in the face of adversity, not ignore an opportunity for huge amounts of pomp and circumstance. If a forces family doesn't understand that then you've not been paying attention!

You don't think schools should be allowed to close "for any reason at all"?? Flood? Fire? Norovirus that sweeps through the school so half the staff are incapacitated? God forbid people have to look after their own DC for one day.

Agreed. Time allowed - job permitting - for those that want watch it then back to it. Children to watch it at school.

Could have held it on Saturday to avoid so much disruption.

How can they "swap around an INSET day?" It's a Bank Holiday for teachers as well.

I know Inset days are not holidays , but once our school had a ' well being ' day off years ago
They called it an inset day ..

Exactly.

Just an idea
I doubt make the rules
Is what it is

Exactly! Lol at children even wanting to sit straight through 5 hours let alone something many of which don't understand. I have a primary aged dc. We will probably go out and do something and catch snippets of it when we can.

Oh yes I see what was meant now.

No, they can't. An INSET day is a staff working day and a closure for children, with no entitlement to education on that day.

Teachers are contracted to work this as non-contact. It's In service education and training.

All of those complaining about trying to do their jobs through COVID with their kids also at home needing to be supervised should surely see how teachers can't work in the way planned on these days with thousands of kids in.

So they sit in form all day watching BBC1. Sure.

If child benefit payments fall on that date (Mon 19th) do we think they'll be paid early like on a normal BH or is there not enough time to reschedule them?

maybe the schools can swap around an inset day to make up for it.

So when do you suggest we do the mandatory training, safeguarding updates, performance management, planning for high needs SEND students and many other things that have to be crammed into an inset day?

Do you not think that some of us are going to have to find childcare anyway? Not everyone just gets bank holidays off. Luckily a lot of my friends probably will and I'm sure one will take her, but I'm still going to have to work, BH or no BH.

It's a historical national event- of course schools should close!

This is it, simply. Nobody who isn't bothered about the funeral will be forced to watch it - think of it as some state-sanctioned free time to do whatever you want, which most people would see as a positive thing; but tens of millions of people will very much want to be able to observe this big landmark in our national history and should be enabled to do so.

Personally, I'm not overly interested because of the individual royals involved, but of what this represents for the nation of which they are figureheads. This is massive and a very rare occasion; bank holidays are meant for special times and, monarchist, republican or anywhere in between, this is a very special occasion. Feel free to use it yourself to do whatever you consider special, if the whole monarchy thing doesn't tickle your pickle.

Definitely this! Mine are 6 and 4, there's no way we're going to be able to watch it in peace!

Not really. An INSET day is a full working day for school staff. Do you expect them to go into work on the bank holiday to do that training instead?