Confusion over schools re-opening as new restrictions set to be announced

• Click for Rebecca Haworth's report from Roade near Northampton

• Click for Raveena Ghattaura's report from Norwich

Parents, staff and children at primary schools across the region have faced a day of confusion.

In some Covid hotspots including Milton Keynes and parts of Essex, primary schools have been told to close, except for the children of key workers.

In many other areas it's been a mixed picture with some open and others shut.

It comes amid growing calls, including from six different unions, for all schools to switch to online learning because of rapidly rising infections.

Essex County Council said it was seeking "urgent clarity" from the Government on the position of reopening schools in north Essex amid rising infection rates.

It said that primary schools in Colchester, Tendring and Uttlesford - the only districts in Essex where schools were due to reopen - would move to remote learning from Tuesday.

Dr Mike Gogarty, Director of Public Health in Essex, said: "I am very concerned about the rates in Essex and I think that really every endeavour that we can undertake to prevent further spread is appropriate. I think that would include closing schools in Essex, both primary and secondary."

On Sunday, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he had "no doubt" that classrooms are safe and parents should send children back to schools in England which remain open.

A joint statement from six unions which represent teachers today called for a "pause" to the reopening of schools.

The statement said: "Bringing all pupils back into classrooms while the rate of infection is so high is exposing education sector workers to serious risk of ill-health and could fuel the pandemic." 

Today’s statement is signed by GMB, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU, UNISON and Unite.