SCHOOL'S OUT FOR... WINTER

Sites in high infection areas could stay shut until mid-Feb. All London primaries closed after local leaders force U-turn

- PIPPA CRERAR and DAN BLOOM

SCHOOLS could be shut until mid-February in parts of England with high Covid-19 rates, heads fear.

Education Secretary Gav in Williamson said on Thursday he wanted to keep closures “as short as possible” – without giving a cut-off date.

But a government insider has suggested that while mid-February is “pessimistic” it cannot be ruled out.

A source said: “The closure of schools until mid-February is an entirely possible scenario. We don’t have the data for Christmas yet but we will by January 18 and it’s difficult to see that being an improvement.”

And in yet another U-turn, Mr Williamson confirmed all London primaries will now close for the start of the new term. The move came 24 hours after he insisted it was safe for sites in eight boroughs in the capital to open despite spiralling virus rates.

Leaders in Islington, Camden, Hackney, Lambeth, Lewisham, Greenwich, Haringey and Harrow called for the same rules to apply across London, which is in Tier 4.