No time off for Fife pupils on St Andrew’s Day, council confirms

FIFE pupils don’t get St Andrew’s Day as a school holiday because it’s “too close” to the October break.

SNP councillor John Beare cited examples from other countries and wondered why kids are in classes on November 30, when we celebrate Scotland’s patron saint.

He raised the issue at the cabinet committee during discussion on the school term and holiday dates in Fife for 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28.

Cllr Beare said: “In Ireland all schools are closed on St Patrick’s Day, north and south, and on St David’s Day all schools in Wales get half days in the main.

“Is there any reason why St Andrew’s Day isn’t a school holiday?”

Shelagh McLean, head of education and children’s services, replied: “That’s been discussed on a number of different occasions and the decision has always been not to include it as one of our normal holiday dates, so that’s why it hasn’t been proposed again.

“It’s always been one that, because it’s right in the middle of a term, it follows an in-service training day and it follows the October holiday break, we’ve not done that.”

She added: “We’re certainly happy to consider it for future dates.”

Cllr Beare said: “That’ll be 2028 then, at the earliest.”

The proposed school holiday dates were issued to all schools in March, as well as education staff, trade union and parent council chairs, for consultation.

The academic school year must consist of 190 days for pupils and 195 days for teachers - they have five in-service training days - and the majority of responses were in favour of the dates.