Millions of children to get an extra week at home after Christmas holidays as schools roll out coronavirus testing

MILLIONS of children in England will spend an extra week at home after the Christmas holidays — while schools roll out Covid testing.

In effect the Christmas holidays will continue for millions of children, with older students told to study at home and online instead.

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The Army is being drafted in to lend a hand to teachers, who will help carry out the swabbing of teenagers in secondary schools and colleges.

Primary school kids, key workers' children, or key exam year kids will go back as usual on their first day back, The Sun understands.

They will get super-quick Covid-19 tests — with results in 15 minutes — to make sure they have not picked up the bug over Christmas.

Other kids in secondary schools will get an allotted time to go in that week and get a Covid test, but will not come in full time until the following week.

Online learning is expected for those kids instead, with everyone back in school by January 11.

But teachers criticised the Government for rushing out the plans on the last day of term — branding them an “utter shambles”.

The Government hit back, insisting the move would help keep children and teachers safe.

Schools and colleges will be able to establish testing to offer students two rapid tests three days apart, with positive results confirmed by a lab-based PCR test, the DFE said today.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson added: “This targeted testing round will clamp down on the virus as students return from the Christmas break and help stop the spread of Covid-19 in the wider community.

“Building on the fantastic actions that schools and colleges have already taken to be as safe as possible, this additional testing will catch those who have the virus but are not showing symptoms to help schools and colleges stay in control of the virus throughout the spring term."

A No10 spokesperson said today: "The start of term won’t be delayed but we are asking secondary schools to take a staggered return, with online learning, with in-person teaching for all starting on 11 January."

The news comes as:

• Millions more were placed in Tier 3 today
• 11,000 extra new cases were recorded in Wales after an error in the computer systems
• Boris Johnson told families last night to have a smaller, shorter Christmas gathering - but did not scrap the bubble rules
• However, in Wales people were told to only bubble with two households, and in Scotland they were ordered to only spend one day together
• Guidance for England said people should isolate from Friday if they were seeing family - and people should not travel from Tier 3 areas if they could
• People should consider meeting family outside - or keeping the windows open instead

Paul Whiteman, boss of the National Association of Head Teachers, gave the Government both barrels for the last-minute changes.

He fumed: “The Government could not have created more of a shambolic situation.

“They have handed schools a confused and chaotic mess at the eleventh hour.”

But Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Testing in schools is crucial for us to break the chains of transmission and keep students, staff and their loved ones safe.

“By doing this we can help schools and colleges open safely.”

It comes after a huge row between schools in London and the Department for Eduation this week.

Schools in Greenwich, Islington and Waltham Forest wanted to close early over spiraling cases - but the DFE told them to remain open.

Greenwich council had previously written to school heads to dismiss classes at 133 schools a week early due to the rising number of Covid cases. Islington then followed suit, warning of surging cases.

HOME SCHOOLED

But Mr Williamson threatened to get a High Court injunction to force them to U-turn if they refused to comply.

Parents and pupils were left confused, not knowing if they would have their final week of school in the chaos.

Downing Street defended the Government's determination to keep state schools open despite rising coronavirus cases.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We have been clear throughout on the importance of schools, both in terms of the learning that children require but also the development and mental health gains it brings by being able to attend school.

"We have been clear that it's in the best interest for all children to attend."

It comes after a Christmas crackdown to try and ensure Britain does not see a third wave of cases after the festive rules relaxation.

Yesterday Boris Johnson advised people in England to not travel to a lower Tier, avoid staying overnight and make their trips to see their bubbles shorter if possible.

The rules are still relaxed between 23-27 December for people living in England, allowing three households to gather, but the Government has rowed back slightly and issued caution about mingling.

Last week Matt Hancock announced that thousands more pupils would get access to tests - whether they had Covid symptoms or not.

Government ministers are concerned about the spike in cases for kids ages 11 to 18.

The Sun then revealed that mass testing would be offered to kids at all schools in the coming weeks, to crack down on the spread.

Pupils in secondary schools in a string of boroughs are being urged to come forward to get tested to stop the spread - with one in three people with the virus still showing no symptoms at all.

Emergency testing teams were sent to secondary schools across the South East to swab pupils and their families.

Hundreds of thousands of tests are available - and offered to kids even if they are showing no signs of being ill.

It was revealed ministers are drawing up plans for a New Year testing blitz in schools in a campaign to prevent a third wave of killer Covid.

Hundreds of thousands of swabs are expected to be sent around the country for use in a campaign to pinpoint teenagers unknowingly carrying coronavirus.

Health chiefs are understood to be ramping up testing plans amid growing fears that older children are fuelling the rocketing infection rates across the South East.

Schools in Wales have already closed early for the Christmas break.