ALL schools and council-run nurseries across Scotland should be closed for the Queen's funeral, the Scottish Government has advised.
The service to commemorate the monarch's passing is due to be held on Monda, September 19, which will also be a bank holiday.
Following the news, the Scottish Government confirmed it had told all 32 local authorities in Scotland that schools and any other education settings that would normally close on a bank holiday should be shut down as a mark of respect.
During the rest of the period leading up to the funeral, schools will remain open and pupils are expected to attend.
While council nurseries will certainly close, private and voluntary nurseries will take their own decisions on whether to remain open.
A spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government has advised local authorities that schools across Scotland should close on [that day or 19 September] as a mark of respect.
“This advice also applies to other education settings that would normally be closed on a bank holiday.”
In Glasgow, schools and nurseries will be closed but essential services will run as normal.
Closures have also been announced in all West Lothian, Angus, South Lanarkshire, and North Lanarkshire schools.
As the funeral falls on September weekend, a number of areas in Scotland were already planning to close schools for the bank holiday.
This includes East Lothian, Midlothian, and South Ayrshire, which celebrate the holiday period between Friday, September 16, and Monday, September 19, while North Ayrshire schools were already closed for an in-service day.
It comes as businesses and public visitor sites, including the Battle of Bannockburn centre, are set to close for the Queen's funeral.
It even emerged that funerals due to be held on the same day across the UK are being cancelled.
And, concerns have been raised after investigations into alleged misconduct from MPs and parliamentary staff in Westminster have been paused.
