CHESHIRE East is waiting for government guidance on primary school SATS because the bank holiday for the King’s coronation clashes with the first day of the national tests.

The Key Stage 2 tests, taken by 11-year-olds at schools across the country, are scheduled to take place from Monday, May 8, to Thursday, May 11, next year.

On the Monday, the day of the recently announced bank holiday, children are scheduled to take two English tests relating to  grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Cllr Kathryn Flavell, lead member for children and families at Cheshire East Council, said: “We are aware that the additional bank holiday to celebrate the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III falls on the same day as the start of national tests in our primary schools.

“We are awaiting guidance from the government’s standard’s and testing agency and will work with all our schools to manage any impact.”

She added: “I believe it is really positive that children have the opportunity to come together with their families and communities to celebrate this historic occasion, which I am sure they will remember for many years to come.”

Cheshire East also has local elections in the run-up to the bank holiday but the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands the counts for these will not be impacted by the coronation, which takes place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, May 6, or the additional bank holiday on the Monday.

The full council is up for election next year on Thursday, May 4, and the count is due to take place on the Friday afternoon.

There will also be town council elections next year and the count for these will take place on Sunday, May 7.