Secondary schools in Kentwill not be reopening as planned next week, the Education Minister has announced.

Gavin Williamson revealed this afternoon that the return of pupils across England will be delayed by at least a week, while the return of Kent primary schools will also be pushed back.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Williamson said that exam year groups– namely year 11 and 13 – will now be returning on January 11, with all other year groups coming in on January 18.

The delay is to ensure an "ambitious" mass testing programme is in place for the pupils on their return.

Mr Williamson said: "We have already announced our intention for a staggered return for secondary-age pupils and those in colleges.

"Because the Covid infection rate is particularly high among this age group, we are going to allow more time so every school and college is able to roll out testing for all of its pupils and staff.

"This kind of mass testing will help not just protect children and young people, it will help the community."

During the first week of term- from next Monday- colleges are to prepare to test as many students and staff as possible, and will only be open to vulnerable children and children of key workers.

Mr Williamson also announced that the majority of primary schools will be reopening as planned, save for "a small number of areas where the infection rates are highest".

The secretary emphasised that this does not mean all Tier 4 areas, and that more information on the affected areas would be published on the gov.uk website today.

The chair of Kent Association of Head Teachers, Alan Brookes, said testing pupils twice would cause "enormous logistical problems", and that even if there was a delay to schools reopening, schools would still be left with "huge logistical problems", such as overseeing the tests.

"We need an army of volunteers to staff this," he added.

KMTV reports on the delay in reopening secondary schools

Richard Long, Kent County Council’s education chief, said: “The vast majority of Kent schools have remained open throughout the entirety of the pandemic – for vulnerable learners and the children of key workers in the first lockdown, and for all pupils since September. School staff have done a fantastic job of managing extremely difficult circumstances effectively and safely and I have every confidence they will continue to do so.

“We will support secondary schools with the regular testing of symptom-free staff, and of pupils and staff who have come into contact with someone who has tested positive after pupils return to school in mid-January. This regular rapid testing will allow more pupils and staff to remain in school as they will not have to automatically self-isolate if someone in their bubble tests positive. We would encourage all schools to offer this testing but only when they have sufficient measures in place to allow them to do so safely. This will not happen at the same time for all schools and head teachers will contact parents/carers with information about testing for their children as soon as arrangements are in place.

“I would like to remind everyone that as well as taking advantage of testing opportunities, they should continue to follow Tier 4 restrictions and government guidelines on handwashing, social distancing and the wearing of face coverings to minimise the spread of the virus and reduce the pressure on the NHS.”

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