TEACHERS in schools across Hampshire have received an additional bank holiday, the county council has confirmed.

While much of the country celebrated the Queen’s platinum jubilee last week, the event fell in the middle of school half-term.

The Department for Education (DfE) granted all schools an extra bank holiday, which can be taken at any point in the school year.

Hampshire County Council has chosen the final day of the summer term, Friday, July 22.

Academy schools and other local authorities can select a different date.

Councillor Roz Chadd, Hampshire County Council’s executive lead member for children’s services, said: "The decision to reduce the number of school days for maintained schools in 2021/22 was taken nationally by the DfE, in response to Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

"This is in line with the DfE’s previous response to other similar occasions, such as the 2012 Diamond Jubilee. Had schools not been on their half term break at the time of this year’s additional bank holiday, they would have been able to close on the nationally designated days.

"The change to the original school year, that had schools closing for summer on 22 July, was only allowed when the necessary change to legislation had occurred so that schools could legally close on the additional day.

"As the extended bank holiday fell within half term for Hampshire schools, staff and students can instead have their additional day off on another day in the school year."

The guidance came from central government, leaving local authorities and other school bodies to designate the bank holiday.

This means that academies and other independent schools were free to select a date of their choosing.

Portsmouth City Council’s schools have already taken the bank holiday off.

Following a consultation last year with schools across the city, the additional holiday was agreed for Tuesday, May 3.

But the government’s decision to add another bank holiday for schools has not gone down well with all parents.

Alison Baker from Portsmouth said: "[It] left us all without childcare and with no kids’ clubs open."

Southampton City Council has also been asked whether the extra bank holiday has already been taken or not.