Primary schools to open as normal next week across Dacorum

Hemel has not been not deemed enough of a high risk Covid area for all schools to remain shut. But, along with other areas nationally, secondary schools will stay closed for an extra period.

All secondary schools and college students will not return full-time until January 18. The exceptions are pupils in year 11, year 13 and those in year 12 with exams. These should attend from the week beginning Monday January 11.

They will also receive online teaching for the week beginning January 4.

Primary schools in other Herts districts such as Broxbourne, however, have been deemed too high risk to open on January 4.

The government made the schools announcement as part of its tiers review yesterday (Wednesday).

Today Councillor Terry Douris, Cabinet Member for Education, Libraries and Localism at Hertfordshire County Council, said: “I would like to reassure all our residents that Hertfordshire County Council will be supporting school leadership teams across the county, following the government announcement regarding the staggered re-opening of schools for the Spring Term."

He added: “We recognise that disruption to education causes difficulties, but the health and safety of our pupils, staff, families and residents is of the utmost importance to both the Government and Hertfordshire County Council.

“We are currently working on arrangements to be made for vulnerable children and children of critical workers, to continue attending school in some capacity. Schools will be reviewing their risk assessments to ensure safety within schools can be maintained.

“Since the start of the outbreak, schools have adapted to the ever-changing situation and staff have worked incredibly hard to enable many thousands of pupils to engage in remote learning organised by their schools, with tasks being set daily through a variety of online resources.

“Once again I would like to take this opportunity to thank all education staff across the county for their constant resilience and hard work during these challenging times. I can confirm the Heads of each of our schools in Hertfordshire will be contacting the families of all pupils to provide information about their specific opening plans and provision of free school meals.”