Pupils get extra October holiday following Queen’s funeral

Pupils across Midlothian will receive an extra day’s holiday this month after the Queen’s Funeral was held on a scheduled day off.

Midlothian schools were already due to remain closed on September 19 when it was declared a national Bank Holiday following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. And at a meeting of Midlothian Council it was agreed to move the original day off to October 24 to make sure pupils and staff did not miss the extra holiday.

Councillors met in person for the first time in over two years at the local authority’s Dalkeith headquarters on Tuesday. The meeting began with Provost Debbi McCall leading councillors in a two minute silence in memory of the Queen, who died at Balmoral on September 8 at the age of 96.

The full council chamber stood for the tribute before moving into the first item of business as elected members appeared pleased to be facing each other against across a room.

HM Queen Elizabeth opening Newtongrange railway station in 2015.

Third item on the agenda was the rescheduling of the September weekend holiday which fell on the day of the funeral.

The council’s executive director for children and young people Fiona Robertson told the meeting that Monday, October 24 was a schedule staff development day which would now be moved to the following day.

It would mean pupils who break for their October holiday on Friday, October 14, would not return until Wednesday, October 26.

Council leader Kelly Parry told the meeting: “I recognise the disruption that this can cause to parents and carers so want the information to be put out as soon as possible.”

Councillors agreed to approve the additional holiday.