Coronavirus: The Areas Which Will See Primary School Closures

30 December 2020, 17:44

The government has introduced a string of steps in primary and secondary schools returning after the Christmas break.

Boris Johnson addressed the nation on Wednesday evening to outline how primary and secondary schools in England can safely return amid the rising levels of coronavirus.

Many schools in coronavirus hotspots will close, forcing lessons to go back online, while students taking exams will be able to return as scheduled.

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Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced the changes to the commons earlier on in the day, confirming children of key workers will still be able to attend school in areas where primaries will have to close to most pupils.

Here are all the details on when schools will go back after Christmas, and which areas will see primary school closures…

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The locations in England which will see primary school closures

A number of primary schools will close in areas where the infection rates are at their highest for at least two weeks, while the majority will return as planned on 4 January.

The government has published a list of the areas in which primary schools must close, staying open only for vulnerable children and children of key workers.

London

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

Essex Brentwood

Epping Forest

Castle Point

Basildon

Rochford

Harlow

Chelmsford

Braintree

Maldon

Southend on Sea

Thurrock

Kent

Dartford

Gravesham

Sevenoaks

Medway

Ashford

Maidstone

Tonbridge and Malling

Tunbridge Wells

Swale

East Sussex

Hastings

Rother

Buckinghamshire

Milton Keynes

Hertfordshire

Watford

Broxbourne

Hertsmere

Three Rivers

Which year groups will return to school first?

All primary year groups will return as planned on 4 January, unless they're in a Covid hotspot.

Years 11 and 13 – who have exams coming up – will go back to school from January 11 and the rest of secondary school years will return from January 18.

Testing will be ramped up for pupils in efforts to ensure students test negative before returning to the classroom.

The government is also asking universities to reduce the number of students who return at the start of January, prioritising students who require practical learning.

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