Schools due to return tomorrow after a two-week festive break have announced they will remain closed on Monday, January 5.
13:51, 04 Jan 2026Updated 16:18, 04 Jan 2026
A score of schools have been closed ahead of their first day back due to new weather warnings.(Image: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Children across Scotland who were set to return to school tomorrow will be delighted to find out that their holidays have been extended as councils begin to announce closures following new Met Office weather warnings.
Schools in Moray, Orkney and Shetland will be closed for the day due to adverse weather and road conditions. A small number of schools in Aberdeenshire council have also been closed, while those in Aberdeen City Council have been given a 11am delayed start and breakfast clubs cancelled.
The Met Office has issued a new amber weather warning for snow in parts of Scotland – covering Aberdeen, Aviemore in the Cairngorms, and Ullapool, Ross-shire.
It begins at 6pm on Sunday and expires at 10am on Monday, and forecasts “heavy snow” and travel disruption. Up to 30cm of snow is predicted to fall in some areas causing travel and power disruption.
A yellow warning for snow and ice covers much of Scotland north of Glasgow, and expires at midnight on Monday.
The warnings cover much of the Highlands and Aberdeenshire areas, Orkney, Shetland, and Outer Hebridean Islands, from Sunday evening until 10am on Monday – with the potential for another 5-10cm of snow accumulating at low levels, with the potential for 20-30cm on high ground.
The Met Office warned that people living in the regions covered by the amber weather warning could expect travel disruption, and that rural communities could become cut off.
East Lothian and the Scottish Borders are still expected to see cases of scattered snow showers and icy patches until 11am on Tuesday, December 6.
Earlier today, Aberdeen City Council announced that all of its schools will have a delayed start tomorrow due to travel “uncertainty”. All parents will receive communication from headteachers if anything changes.
The Met Office has updated its weather warnings, with temporary blizzards likely.(Image: Met Office)
The post reads: “Due to weather conditions and uncertainty around road conditions, the opening of all Aberdeen City Council schools and ELC provisions will be delayed until 11am on Monday 5 January. Breakfast Clubs will not be open.
“Further updates for each school will be provided by head teachers tomorrow morning once they have assessed individual local circumstances. Parents/guardians will be contacted as per normal via Groupcall.”
Although impacted by the amber weather warnings, the Highland council has not issued any closures as of yet as its schools are set to return on Wednesday, December 7.
Below is a list of all of the current school closures and delays for Monday, December 5.
List of school closures
Aberdeen City Council
All schools will start at a delayed time of 11am.
Aberdeenshire Council
- Aboyne Academy – Closed
- Alford Academy – Closed
- Arduthie School – Closed
- Auchenblae School – Closed
- Ballogie Nursery – Closed
- Ballater School – Closed
- Balmedie School – Closed
- Banchory Primary School – Closed
- Barthol Chapel School – Closed
- Banchory-Devenick School – Closed
- Bracoden School – Closed
- Buchanhaven Primary School – Closed
- Carronhill School – Closed
- Catterline School – Closed
- Craigievar School – Closed
- Crathes School – Closed
- Crombie School – Closed
- Cultercullen School – Closed
- Dales Park School – Closed
- Daviot School – Closed
- Drumoak School – Closed
- Dunnottar School – Closed
- Drumblade School – Closed
- Echt School – Closed
- Ellon Primary School – Closed
- Elrick School – Closed
- Finzean School – Closed
- Fordyce School – Closed
- Hill of Banchory School- Closed
- Hillside School – Closed
- Insch School – Closed
- Gordan Schools – Closed
- Johnshaven School – Closed
- Keithhall School – Closed
- Kemnay School – Closed
- Kennethmont School – Closed
- Lairhillock School – Closed
- Laurencekirk School – Closed
- Mearns Academy – Closed
- Meldrum Academy – Closed
- Methlick School – Closed
- Monymusk School – Closed
- Newburgh Mathers School – Closed
- Newtonhill School – Closed
- Ordiquhill School – Closed
- Peterhead Academy – Closed
- Pitmedden School – Closed
- Port Erroll School – Closed
- Portlethen School – Closed
- Rathen School – Closed
- Rhynie School – Closed
- Sandhaven School – Closed
- Skene School – Closed
- St Andrew’s School, Inverurie – Closed
- St Fergus School – Closed
- Strathburn School – Closed
- Strathdon School – Closed
- Tarland School – Closed
- Tarves School – Closed
- Tough School – Closed
- Turriff Primary School – Closed
- Tyrie School – Closed
- Uryside School – Closed
- Westhill Academy – Closed
- Westhill Primary School – Closed
- Whitehills School – Closed
Shetland Council
- Aith Junior High School – Closed
- Anderson High School – Closed
- Baltasound Junior High School – Closed
- Brae High School – Closed
- Bell’s Brae Primary School – Closed
- Burravoe Primary School – Closed
- Cullivoe Primary School – Closed
- Cunningsburgh Primary School – Closed
- Dunrossness Primary School- Closed
- Fair Isle Primary School – Closed
- Foula Primary School – Closed
- Hamnavoe Primary School – Closed
- Happyhansel Primary School – Closed
- Lunnasting Primary School – Closed
- Mid Yell Junior High School – Closed
- Mossbank Primary School – Closed
- Nesting Primary School – Closed
- North Roe Primary School – Closed
- Ollaberry Primary School – Closed
- Sandness Primary School – Closed
- Sandwick Junior High School – Closed
- Scalloway Primary School – Closed
- Sound Primary School – Closed
- Tingwall Primary School – Closed
- Urafirth Primary School – Closed
- Whalsay School – Closed
- Whiteness Primary School – Closed
Orkney Council
- Burray Primary School – Closed
- Dounby Primary School – Closed
- Eday Primary School – Closed
- Firth Primary School – Closed
- Kirkwall Grammar School – Closed
- Orphir Primary School – Closed
- Papa Westray Primary School – Closed
- Sanday Community School – Closed
- St Andrews Primary School – Closed
- Stromness Academy – Closed
- Stromness Primary School – Closed
- Stronsay Junior High School – Closed
- Westray Junior High School – Closed
- Evie Primary School – Closed
- Flotta Primary – Closed
- Glaitness Primary School – Closed
- Hope Primary School – Closed
- North Ronaldsay Primary – Closed
- North Walls Community – Closed
- Papdale Primary School – Closed
- Rousay Primary School – Closed
- Shapinsay Primary School – Closed
- Stenness Primary School – Closed
- Strynd Nursery – Closed
- UHI Orkney – Closed
Moray Council
- Aberlour Primary School – Closed
- Anderson’s Primary School – Closed
- Applegrove Primary School – Closed
- Alves Primary School – Closed
- Botriphnie Primary School – Closed
- Burghead School Nursery – Closed
- Busy Bees Childcare – Closed
- Buckie High School – Closed
- Cluny Primary School – Closed
- Craigellachie School – Closed
- Cullen Primary School – Closed
- Cullen Primary School Nursery – Closed
- Dyke Primary School – Closed
- Elgin Academy- Closed
- Findochty Primary School and Nursery – Closed
- Fochabers Nursery & Out of School – Closed
- Forres Academy – Closed
- Glenlivet Primary School – Closed
- Greenwards Primary School – Closed
- Keith Grammar School – Closed
- Keith Primary School – Closed
- Kinloss Primary School – Closed
- Knockando Primary School – Closed
- Lady Cathcart Nursery – Closed
- Linkwood Nursery – Closed
- Lhanbryde Primary School – Closed
- Logie Primary School – Closed
- Lossiemouth High School – Closed
- Millbank Primary School – Closed
- Milne’s Primary School – Closed
- Milne’s High School – Closed
- Mortlach Primary School and Nursery – Closed
- Mosstowie Primary School – Closed
- Mosstodloch Early Learning and Out of School – Closed
- Newmill Primary School – Closed
- New Elgin Primary School – Closed
- Portgordon Primary School and Nursery – Closed
- Portknockie Primary School – Closed
- Pilmuir Primary School – Closed
- Rothes Nursery – Closed
- Rothes Primary School – Closed
- Rothiemay Primary School – Closed
- Speyside High School – Closed
- St Gerardine Primary School – Closed
- St Peter’s Primary School – Closed
- St Thomas Primary School and Nursery – Closed
- The Cabin Nursery – Closed
- Tomintoul Primary and Nursery– Closed