A Teesside primary school confirmed it will remain closed following the Christmas holidays after staff raised concerns over safety.

Captain Cook Primary School, in Marton, was one of the first to contact parents today, a day before pupils were due to return to the classroom to say the school will be shut for a further two weeks.

Headteacher Amy Young said the 'very difficult' decision had been made after talks with unions which are advising staff that it is unsafe to return to work amid rising Covid-19 cases.

In a letter emailed to parents she said: "You will I’m sure have seen the ongoing concerns around the safety of opening schools in Tier 4 areas beyond London.

"This has resulted in some trade unions taking action in relation to safety in schools given the challenges of the new variant of the Covid-19 virus and advice from SAGE.

"Following union discussions today, a number of school staff have decided to take the advice given by unions and therefore I have had to the make the very difficult decision to close school for the next two weeks and we will be moving to remote learning.

"From Tuesday we will be offering childcare for those children whose parents are key workers or those who are classed as vulnerable during this two week period. For tomorrow, I ask you to use the packs/ work books that you already have at home. I will send out further details tomorrow about our remote learning offer for the next two weeks."

Andy McDonald, MP for Middlesbrough, said: “I know there will be a huge amount of anxiety among parents, carers and all teaching staff as many pupils return to classrooms. 

"Yet again this Government has shown its incompetence in the handling of return to schools in Middlesbrough and across the country. This has led to confusion and stress for teaching staff throughout the Christmas break. The uncertainty and lack of clear communication is hugely damaging.

"Labour has long called for mass testing in schools and assurances that, where needed, proper remote education can take place for children. Again, the Government has failed. 

"It seems that they expect to have to impose further restrictions soon. If that’s the case, they should do it now. We should move immediately to a national lockdown. Delay has costs lives. The dithering has to stop.” 

Local councils in Cumbria have urged the Government to allow schools to remain closed in other areas, while teaching unions are calling for all schools to be shut for the next two weeks.

General secretary of the National Education Union (NEU) Dr Mary Bousted has said schools should stay closed for two weeks to “break the chain” of transmission and prevent the NHS becoming “overwhelmed”.

The union, which represents the majority of teachers, has advised its members it is not safe to return to classrooms on Monday.

NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said the union had started preliminary steps in legal proceedings against the Department for Education (DfE), asking it to share its scientific data about safety and transmission rates.

On Sunday, Cumbria County Council said it had written to the department for permission to keep primary schools in the area closed for the first two weeks of term.