Coronavirus UK: Will schools re-open after the Easter holidays?

The Easter holidays have officially started

The Easter holidays have now started, but you’d be forgiven for not noticing, seeing as UK schools have already been closed for over two weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic.

School gates across the country shut on March 20, staying open only for the children of key workers.

While some parents have adjusted well to homeschooling, others have found themselves struggling to fill the school day while also balancing their own home working.

Because let’s face it – there’s only so much Disney+ and Joe Wicks you can stick on the telly.

So, when will schools return and has there been any update from the government since it announced their closure?

Read the latest updates: Coronavirus news live

Will schools go back after the Easter holiday?

At time of writing, it is still not clear when schools will return, but it seems unlikely they will re-open any time soon.

When announcing the closures, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the closures would last ‘until further notice.’

Addressing Parliament, Mr Williamson said: ‘I want to provide parents, students and staff with the certainty they need. After schools shut their gates on Friday afternoon they will remain closed until further notice. This will be for all children except to those of key workers and where children who are most vulnerable.’

‘I know the situation has become increasingly challenging. I’ve said before that if the science and the advice changed, such that keeping schools open would no longer be in the best interest of children and teachers, that we would act – we are now at that stage.’

The Prime Minister previously said he hoped to keep school closures to an ‘absolute minimum’ while First Minister Nicola Sturgeon previously warned schools ‘may be shut until summer.’

A-level and GSCE exams are cancelled in England, with students’ marks decided based on estimations from their teachers.

Scotland and Wales will follow a similar method when deciding grades, with plans for Northern Ireland expected to be published soon.

Lockdown measures in the UK are currently in place until Monday 13 April, although the PM stated they too are ‘under constant review.’

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