ITV has reported on the new plans set out by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson MP (Con) for the start of the school term in England, amid rising pressures over the Christmas period for a delay

Many of England's primary schools are opening today, with rows continuing over whether pupils should return with the current COVID-19 restrictions.

The Department for Education said switching to online teaching should be a ‘last resort’, but many local authorities have raised concerns about reopening.

School closures cause particular issues for rural communities struggling with poor broadband connectivity.

All of London’s primary schools and those in some surrounding areas will not reopen until January 18th due to the fast-spreading variant of COVID-19, with students elsewhere expected to return to classrooms today.

But councils in Cumbria and Kent – some of the areas outside London and the South East hardest hit by the variant - have urged the Government to allow schools to remain closed in other areas, while teaching unions are calling for all schools to switch to remote learning for a brief period.

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ITV - Parents and teachers face ‘confusing picture’ over school closures