Boris forced to clarify school closures as parents left confused: Full list published
BORIS JOHNSON has clarified the Government's plans for school closures in January following confusion over when students were returning to the classroom.
Boris Johnson discusses reopening of secondary schools
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced in the Commons this afternoon the Government was delaying the reopening of some schools in January due to the surge in coronavirus cases. He said the opening secondary schools would be put back by a fortnight and some primary schools would also be forced to shut temporarily.
However, Mr Williamson did not explain in which areas primary schools were closing.
The Education Secretary only said primary schools in a "small number of areas" where COVID-19 infection rates are the highest will not reopen for face-to-face teaching to all pupils as planned next week.
Shadow further education and universities minister Emma Hardy said it was a "shambles" that a list of schools had not been provided alongside his statement.
Clarifying the situation this at a Downing Street briefing tonight, Mr Johnson said: "In secondary schools all vulnerable children and children of critical workers will go back next week across England as originally planned, but we will ask exam year pupils in secondary to learn remotely during the first week of term and return to the classroom from January 11.
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"The remaining secondary school pupils - non-exam groups - will go back a week later, that is from January 18."
Speaking about primary schools he added: "In most of England, primary schools will still reassemble next week, as planned for the new term.
"But, in the areas we have just published today on gov.uk, I am afraid the start of the new term will be delayed until at least January 18, when the latest data on those infection rates will be reviewed.
"That is because the rate of transmission in these areas is so high, and there’s just such pressure on the local NHS, that extra action is required to control the spread of the virus."
Schools have been shut in 49 council areas including 22 boroughs of London, 11 boroughs in Essex, nine boroughs in Kent, two in East Sussex, four in Hertfordshire, and all primary schools in Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire.
As stated by the Prime Minister, the full list of primary schools affected is now available on the Government website.
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Despite the last-minute U-turn on the opening of schools in some areas, Mr Johnson said schools remained safe.
He said: "Schools are safe, the problem is not the schools.
"Send your children, send your family to school in the normal way, absolutely right to do."
He added the measures surrounding schools were to "combat the mixing that naturally takes place in schools".
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Mr Johnson also reiterated his plan for all secondary students to get a test upon their return in the hope of minimising the number of schools forced to close in the coming weeks due to an outbreak of the virus.
He said: "To minimise disruption in schools and to fight the disease we are massively expanding our testing operation ensuring that every secondary school pupil is tested as they return, and regularly thereafter."
Praising teachers and students for their patience during the pandemic, he added: "I want to thank the teachers, pupils and parents who have worked so hard to keep schools safe and keep them open."
Mr Williamson this afternoon did not explain when primary schools forced to remain shut would be allowed to re-open again.
He said any decision would be "guided by the public health advice".
The Education Secretary said: "After the two-week period there will be a review.
"Our obvious hope and desire is to see that those areas that are in the contingency frameworks would be moving out of that.
"We will obviously be guided by the public health advice and the scientific advice that is available to us."
Full list of areas where primary schools will not open next week:
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
15
Tonbridge and Malling
Tunbridge Wells
Swale
Hastings
Rother
Milton Keynes
Watford
Broxbourne
Hertsmere
Three Rivers