THE Government has announced some primary schools in highly-infected parts of England will not open as scheduled next week. 

Below are the areas where it is expected that primary schools will not open to all pupils as planned next week. In those areas where primary schools remain closed, it is likely to be until January 18.

– London:

Barking and Dagenham

Barnet

Bexley

Brent

Bromley

Croydon

Ealing

Enfield

Hammersmith and Fulham

Havering

Hillingdon

Hounslow

Kensington and Chelsea

Merton

Newham

Redbridge

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

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also outlined plans for the return of pupils to secondary schools after the Christmas break.

He said: “In secondary schools all vulnerable children and children of critical workers will go back next week across England as originally planned, but we will ask exam year pupils in secondary to learn remotely during the first week of term and return to the classroom from January 11.

“The remaining secondary school pupils – non-exam groups – will go back a week later, that is from January 18.”

However Mr Johnson suggested these plans could change again depending on rates of infection and added: “I want to stress that depending on the spread of the disease it may be necessary to take further action in their cases as well in the worst affected areas.”