Secondary schools return delayed

The Education Secretary has just made an announcement about schools after Christmas

Author: Chris MaskeryPublished 30th Dec 2020
Last updated 30th Dec 2020

The return to Secondary schools will be delayed to the 18th January for all pupils except those in exam years.

The Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has made an announcement in parliament about schools amid rising coronavirus case rates and hospital admissions.

Some primary schools will be closed to children after the Christmas break although most primary schools will reopen as normal.

The announcement came just after Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced more areas were going into Tier 4 restrictions.

Secondary School opening delayed

Exam year students will return to secondary schools on 11 January, with other pupils starting on 18 January, a week later.

Gavin Williamson said that testing will begin “in earnest” in January, with those in exam years at the head of the queue.

He told MPs: “All pupils in exam years are to return during the week beginning January 11 with all secondary school and college students returning full time on January 18.

“During the first week of term on or after January 4, secondary schools and colleges will prepare to test as many staff and students as possible and will only be open to vulnerable children and children of key workers.

Will Primary schools open as normal after Christmas?

Primary schools will open as normal, apart from in a few areas where the case rates are highest, in which case schools will only be open to some vulnerable children and children of critical workers.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson told the Commons it was a “last resort” that some schools needed to close where infection rates are highest.

He added: “We’ll be opening the majority of primary schools as planned on Monday, January 4. We know how vitally important it is for younger children to be in school for their education, wellbeing and wider development.

“In a small number of areas where the infection rates are highest we will implement our existing contingency framework such as only vulnerable children and children of critical workers will attend face to face.

List of areas where primary schools will be closed

Here's the full list of areas where primary schools will be closed:

Barking and Dagenham

Barnet

Bexley

Brent

Bromley

Croydon

Ealing

Enfield

Hammersmith and Fulham

Havering

Hillingdon

Hounslow

Kensington and Chelsea

Merton

Newham

Richmond-Upon-Thames

Southwark

Sutton

Tower Hamlets

Waltham Forest

Wandsworth

Westminster

Brentwood

Epping Forest

Castle Point

Basildon

Rochford

Harlow

Chelmsford

Braintree

Maldon

Southend on Sea

Thurrock

Dartford

Gravesham

Sevenoaks

Medway

Ashford

Maidstone

Tonbridge and Malling

Tunbridge Wells

Swale

Hastings

Rother

Milton Keynes

Watford

Broxbourne

Hertsmere

Three Rivers

An 'immediate adjustment' to the schools plan

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson told the Commons the Government must make an “immediate adjustment” to its plans to reopen all schools in January.

In a statement, he said: “We must always act swiftly when circumstances change. The evidence about the new Covid variant and rising infection rates have required some immediate adjustment to our plans for the new term.”

He added: “The latest study we have from Public Health England is that Covid infections among children are triggered by changes in the community rate. The study also says that the wider impact of school closures on children’s development would be significant.

“I’m quite clear that we must continue to do all we can to keep children in school.”

Public support keeping schools closed

A YouGov poll conducted overnight suggested that 43% of 7,999 British adults surveyed would “strongly support” keeping schools in England closed for two further weeks after the Christmas break.

Just 9% “strongly oppose” and 10% “somewhat oppose” keeping school gates shut, YouGov said.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the aim is to “protect education as much as possible” but acknowledged the challenge posed by the new variant.

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