Students in Wales react to fire break lockdown which will see all secondary schools close during that time

Students have been reacting to the news that all secondary schools in Wales will close for a period of time, after the Welsh Government announced a fire break lockdown.

On Monday, the First Minister announced a 17 day fire break lockdown will be in place from Friday 23 October at 6pm until Monday 9 November.

The new restrictions include the closure of all secondary schools in Wales during this period. Secondary schools will have to provide learning online only for the week after half-term, other than for children in years seven and eight. 

Primary schools and childcare settings will remain open.

Secondary schools will close during the fire break lockdown in Wales.

During the fire break lockdown, pupils will be able to come in to secondary schools to take exams, but other pupils will continue their learning from home for an extra week.

Jason Hicks, Headteacher of Cwmbran High School told ITV News: "We've had an opportunity and we'll continue to have an opportunity this week to make sure that that we change our approach is to do what we need to do to keep people safe in the week after half term.

"It's been quite a pressurized time for school staff and school leaders. There are really difficult decisions this year about how we make anything like a level playing field at the end of the year."

Secondary schools will re-open after the half-term for children in years seven and eight.

Plaid Cymru says it broadly supports the decisions made on education on Monday, but is calling for next year's exams to be called off outright.

Siân Gwenllian MS, Plaid Cymru, Arfon said: "I think we now need a decision this week that the exams for next year are cancelled. Because saying that now would take away a lot of the pressure for these young people who are going to be away from school now for a certain period of time."