Attendance plummets in Scottish schools after hoax bomb threats

School attendance in Scotland has dropped after hoax bomb threats were sent to schools.

Police confirmed they’re treating the threats as a hoax, but many parents were still worried about sending their children to school.

Glasgow City Council said fewer pupils went to school on Tuesday, with attendance down by 50% in some primaries and secondaries.

In a letter sent to parents, the local authority said the “threat was very quickly identified as a hoax” and reassured “that the council will always act in the best interests of our children and on the advice of the police.”

All Glasgow schools are open as normal.

Attendance figures have been lower than expected for this time of year in Edinburgh too.

Councillor James Dalgleish, convenor of education, told parents the local authority is working closely with police, and that there is no risk to pupils.

He said: “Attendance is crucial for our learners and I would urge parents to speak to their children and calm their fears. If you have any concerns about attending, please speak to your child’s school. School staff will also be checking in with pupils to make sure they are safe and supported.”

Across East Ayrshire, absence rates were three times higher than at the start of the month, with 31.2% of pupils absent yesterday, compared to 10.2% on October 1.

Similar incidents happened across Europe, with schools in Northern Ireland, Hungary and Serbia receiving threatening messages.

It came as many schools in Scotland were on holiday, while some had an in-service day, and others had just returned following the October break.

More than 300 calls were made to police after schools across the country received the email on Monday morning.

In an updated statement, Police Scotland said: “On Monday, October 19, 2026, threatening messages were sent to a number of schools across Scotland.

“These messages have been assessed and are being treated as a hoax, with nothing to suggest any threat to the public.

“Officers and staff from Police Scotland’s Cyber and Fraud Unit are working closely with partners and are continuing to carry out extensive inquiries to establish the source.”