Can schools close early for Christmas due to coronavirus?

SOME schools across the UK may shut early for Christmas to supposedly limit the spread of the coronavirus.

The government's schools minister says they will have the choice to close for an inset day at the end of term, but some unions say this is "insufficient" - with clashes likely to be ahead, here's what we know.

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Will schools close early for Christmas?

Nick Gibb told MPs that heads would be able to hold inset days at the end of term to ensure a “clear six days” before Christmas Eve for staff and students.

However, unions have asked for schools across the UK to be closed 14 days before Christmas, on December 11th, they are proposing remote learning.

Unions have called the latest concession "insufficient" and some warn there will still be a "steep drop" in attendance because of both rebellious and worried parents.

Boris Johnson urged against union demands, and told parents not to take their kids out of school early and said that all pupils should finish the term as normal.

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford also said he did not want schools to shut again.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Welsh Government said: "We have had regular dialogue with local authorities and unions throughout the pandemic and these discussions continue.

"Our priority remains ensuring that all children and young people's education continues with as little disruption as possible."

Why could schools close early for Christmas?

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders' union, warns that an avoidable "disruptive end" to term is still on the cards.

He said: "Some families and schools will still regard this as insufficient to meet their needs, and it may still force some hasty reorganisation of activities in the last week of term, which could have been avoided if the Government had been more proactive.";

He added: "A chaotic and disruptive end of term is still possible, especially in areas where there are large numbers of Covid cases and high levels of staff and pupil absence already."

Will there be an inset day on December 18?

Schools Standards Minister Nick Gibb confirmed schools can take an inset day on Friday, December 18, and finish term early for Christmas.

He says this will allow both students and staff to have a "proper break" without having to "engage in the track and trace issues" on Christmas Eve.

It appears that the inset day must be taken from 2021's allocated days, as per 

Current guidance states schools must take “swift action” if they are made aware of a covid outbreak.

Teachers are expected to be available for the first six days of the school holidays to help with informing families if they need to isolate.

When do schools currently break up for Christmas?

There is no one set date across the UK for schools to break up for the Christmas holiday.

Some though are set to finish as late as December 21, but with the new inset day proposed, it's likely many will close on December 18.

If the union's plan goes ahead, which asks for even more days off for the holidays, children would have an extra week off for remote learning.