Schools Close Immediately As England Dive Into National Lockdown

Bowing to calls from unions, Labour and some Tory backbenchers, Boris Johnson announces all primary and secondary schools as well as colleges should move to remote learning until half-term in mid-February.

However, this excludes children of key workers and the vulnerable.

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Early years settings will remain open, and childcare bubbles will still apply.

Mr Johnson says it isn’t fair for all exams to go ahead this summer – so “alternative arrangements” will be put in place.

Children entitled to free school meals will continue to get them while schools are closed and more devices will be distributed to support remote learning, the PM adds.

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He admits it will cause “distress” but insists he’s been doing everything in his power to keep schools open.