Harrogate secondary schools to shut an extra week as region prepares for Tier 3 lockdown

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has today announced exam year students across England will now return on 11 January, with all other pupils to follow a week later on 18 January.

It was also announced today that North Yorkshire will enter Tier 3 restrictions from midnight tonight, with stricter curbs on social mixing and hospitality businesses.

Many schools had struggled to keep going before Christmas as students and staff self-isolated due to coronavirus - and the staggered return has been pushed back to also allow more time to get mass testing facilities in place.

Harrogate will move into Tier 3 after today's Government announcement on Covid rules

Richard Sheriff, executive headteacher of Harrogate Grammar School, said regular testing could be key to minimising classroom disruptions but criticised the government for announcing the plans just days before the Christmas break.

"Testing and the delayed return is a realistic program," he said, "but it still puts a huge amount of pressure on schools.

"We are very sympathetic to the government as they deal with a pandemic, however, the way information on testing was circulated was very, very unfortunate and caused a lot of distress.

"We need reassurances in the physical arrangements for testing, including extra space and support on the ground to make it happen."

The government's original plan was for the majority of secondary school and college pupils to start the term online from January 4 before resuming face-to-face lessons from January 11.

Meanwhile, primary schools will reopen as planned on 4 January, except for those in some southern areas of the country with high infection rates.

It will be up to each school whether they take part in mass testing and virtual support will be provided by council officials and members of the armed forces.

GCSE and A-level exams in summer have already been delayed by several weeks, with more generous grading, advance notice of exam topics and additional papers also planned to help students make up for lost time with teachers.

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter