Education leaders reject plan for St Andrew's Day holiday

EDUCATION chiefs in the Capital are set to rule out introducing St Andrew's Day as a school holiday.

The majority of headteachers, school staff, teachers and parents consulted on the Scottish Government's plan voted against it, saying it would cause disruption, childcare issues and even the potential for truancy.

Last St Andrew's Day, the government gave its 7,500 staff an extra day's holiday to celebrate the occasion, and councils were asked by the education secretary to consider making it a school holiday this time round.

However, after consultation with parents and teachers in Edinburgh, 181 respondents were against it, compared with just 66 people for it, prompting education leaders in the city to rule it out.

In a report prepared for councillors to discuss next week, education director Gillian Tee said: "(Local Negotiating Committee for Teachers] advised that the introduction of a St Andrew's Day holiday for schools is not generally welcomed, as it may lead to childcare difficulties for parents who do not get the holiday.

"Further, the attraction of being off school on an autumn day which does not attach to a long weekend is uncertain.

"Even were it to be attached to a long weekend, the addition of another Monday holiday would further distort the sessional imbalance of weekdays.

"Experience has shown that mid-week holidays can also lead to increased truancy."

Former chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament John Loughton agrees with the holiday in principle but believes that it should be followed up by educating pupils on Scottish history and culture.

He added: "It's a good idea to recognise Scotland's culture and history, especially for people of my generation.

"But the holiday itself is not the important part, it's about the events in school running up to it.

"I don't, however, think St Andrew's Day should be used as a political tool by the SNP."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "The Scottish Government considers that declaring St Andrew's Day a school holiday best allows children and young people to celebrate and reflect on the national significance of the day and its importance to the culture and history of Scotland.

"Therefore, the education secretary wrote to local authorities in November, encouraging them to make St Andrew's Day a school holiday.

"It is, however, ultimately a decision for local authorities to make."

Should St Andrew's Day be a holiday?

John Webster, 66, water industry consultant, Balerno: "No. I think it would be hard for parents to accommodate and schoolchildren get enough holidays as it is."

Evelyn Robertson, 64, retired, Orchard Bank: "I'd be in favour of ditching Victoria Day in favour of St Andrew's Day."

Kate Brown, 30, nurse, Polwarth: "Yes, but I think more should be done to educate the public on its significance."