Secondary schools may stay closed past September, Matt Hancock suggests

9 June 2020, 07:44 | Updated: 9 June 2020, 07:52

Some schools could remain shut beyond September to keep the coronavirus infection rate down.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has indicated that secondary schools could remain shut beyond September.

Speaking at the daily press conference yesterday, he hinted that it's a possibility older children could be off school beyond the summer holidays, saying that a September opening would be 'at the earliest'.

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He said: "Our current working plan is secondary schools won’t be open until September at the earliest.

"I very much hope that they can because the impact on children’s education is so significant."

Primary schools were opened for years one and six on June 1, and there are plans for a limited opening of secondary schools to give years 10 and 12 'some contact' with teachers on June 15.

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The Health Secretary added: "What we have to do – not only in schools, but right across the board – is work out how we can get the other things that matter going.

"Like schools, like hospitality, like retail. And get them going safely and carefully, in a way that doesn’t lead to the spread of the virus, and that is going to require ingenuity."

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is expected to speak on the subject of schools in parliament today (Tuesday 9 June).

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A source said, according to the Telegraph, that there are plans to have all schools open by September - but that these are dependent on the rate of infection at the time.

Find out more about school openings on the gov.uk website.

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