Schools will not be able to reopen immediately after half-term, Boris Johnson has said.
Addressing the House of Commons this lunchtime, the Prime Minister confirmed that pupils will not be returning to the classroom after the February half-term.
That had been the date suggested by Johnson when he announced that all primary and secondary schools would be closing from January 5th.
“I know how frustrating that will be for pupils and teachers who want nothing more than to return to the classroom,” he said.
Johnson said he “hopes it will be safe to begin the reopening of schools” in England from March 8th.
That date was dependent on the government hitting its target of vaccinating people in the four most vulnerable groups by February 15th.
Johnson also said the government would “prolong” arrangements for providing free school meals for eligible meals at home “including food parcels and the national voucher scheme until they have returned to the classroom”.
He also made a further £300million of new money for tutoring as part of a “programme of catch-up” over the next financial year.
“We will work with parents, teachers and schools to develop a long-term plan to make sure pupils have the chance to make up their learning over the course of this Parliament.”
