Full list of areas where primary schools will remain shut until further notice

Millions of pupils will not return to England's schools in person next week as originally planned.

The Government has published the list of areas where primary schools will stay closed due to rising coronavirus infection rates.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced a plan for schools to safely return following the Christmas break earlier toady.

He said primary schools in Covid hotspots would not open on January 4 as planned, while the reopening of secondary schools will be delayed.

The announcement came after Health Secretary Matt Hancock said more than three quarters of England would be living under tier four restrictions from tomorrow.

Mr Williamson said not all schools in tier four would have to shut, insisting the measure would only affect ‘a small number of areas’.

It later emerged the ‘small number’ was in fact 49 local authorities where primary schools will need to switch to remote learning for all but vulnerable children and those of key workers.

The areas affected are 22 boroughs of London, 11 boroughs in Essex, 9 boroughs in Kent, two in East Sussex, four in Hertfordshire, and Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire.

Primary schools in these areas will have to stay closed until at least January 18, when coronavirus data will be reviewed.

Nurseries, alternative provision and special schools should remain open even in the worst-hit areas, the Government said.

Meanwhile, the reeopening of secondary schools is being delayed.

Those in Years 11 and 13 who are preparing for exams will still be first to go back, but on January 11 rather than on January 4.

Other year groups at secondary level will return on January 18, rather than January 11 as had been intended under plans for a staggered start.

Mr Williamson said the surging rates of Covid-19 and new variant prompted ‘immediate adjustment’ to his previous plans following days of cabinet discussions.

The Government has faced calls from scientists to close schools for the whole of January while unions called for a two week delay to schools reopening.

At a Downing Street press conference on Wednesday, Boris Johnson said tougher action could be taken if the new measures don’t bring the virus under control.

Setting out the plan for schools he said: ‘The children of key workers or those who are considered to be vulnerable will still go back to primary schools from next week, wherever they live in England. They are not affected by today’s announcement. 

‘In secondary schools, all vulnerable children and the children of critical workers will go back next week across England as originally planned. But we will ask exam year pupils in secondary schools to learn remotely during the first week of term and return to the classroom from January 11.

‘The remaining secondary school pupils, i.e. non exam groups, will go back a week later. That is from January 18.But I want to stress that depending on the spread of the disease, it may be necessary to take further action in those, in their cases as well, in, as I say, the worst affected areas.’

There has been growing concern from teaching unions and scientists about the spread of the virus following the discovery of its much more transmissible variant, with rising case rates and hospital admissions in many parts of the country.

The Government faced criticism for announcing a last-minute mass testing plan for secondary schools just as they closed for the Christmas break.

On Tuesday it was announced that the armed forces will be drafted in to support coronavirus testing operations for thousands of school and college students in England. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said 1,500 military personnel would be deployed to ensure that testing systems were up and running by the time pupils returned for the new term in January.

At tonight’s press conference Mr Johnson said the testing operation would ‘minimise disruption in schools…ensuring that every secondary school pupil is tested as they return and regularly thereafter.’

On universities he added: ‘We’re also asking universities to reduce the number of students who return to campus in January, prioritising medical courses and others requiring face to face teaching. And in all cases, students should be offered two rapid tests when they return.’

It comes as millions more people face the harshest restrictions from tomorrow.

Vast parts of the country including the Midlands, North East, parts of the North West and parts of the South West will enter tier four – a lockdown in all but name – from 12.01 on New Year’s Eve.

Just 2,000 people in the Isles of Scilly will remain in tier one, with no one in Tier 2.

Boris Johnson warned some areas could stay in tier four until April despite the breakthrough of the Oxford vaccine.

But he said if the roll-out of the jab and the new tier measures brings the virus down, then there is hope on the cards for a return to normality by spring.

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