Parents outraged as east London school gives three days notice for Muslim holiday closure

Shut: Chobham Academy, in Newham, was closed today for the Muslim festival of Eid
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Alistair Foster12 September 2016

Parents at an east London school were given just three days notice that it would be closed today so staff could mark the Muslim festival Eid-al-Adha.

Chobham Academy in Newham said the closure of its primary school was due to “a high number of staff requesting leave for religious observance”.

Children were sent home with a letter last week warning their parents.

One mother criticised the short notice, claiming it made finding childcare difficult.

She told the Sun: “People have jobs and lives and will find it difficult to get childcare at such short notice.

“I got a text out of the blue at about 11am on Friday saying the school would be closed on Monday but it didn’t explain why.

“Then they sent the kids home with a letter from the head saying it was because a lot of teachers had suddenly asked for the day off.”

Head teacher Mark Elms wrote to parents to say the nursery, reception, year 1 and year 2 pupils would not be able to come in.

Apologies: Head teacher Mark Elms wrote to parents to say sorry for the closure
Jeremy Selwyn

He said: “Please accept my sincere apologies for the short notice which could not be helped and for the disruption to the beginning of the new academic year.”

Eid-al-Adha is the holiest day in the Muslim calendar and – like Easter – its date changes every year as it’s based on the lunar cycle.

It was predicted to occur yesterday on September 11, causing controversy as that was also the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

But religious leaders in Saudi Arabia announced last Friday that it would actually take place today.

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