A NUMBER of schools in the North-East will not reopen today as previously planned.

Many schools were scheduled to return today after the Christmas holidays. 

Unions representing teachers and support staff told members that it is not safe for primary schools to reopen as planned across England from today, in  contrast to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, who told BBC1’s The Andrew Marr Show that parents should “absolutely” send their children back to school.

Some primary schools in County Durham and on Teesside confirmed they will remain closed, while Durham County Council said it was leaving decisions to individual schools “given the confusion over Government communication and guidance”.

Schools remain open for vulnerable pupils and the children of key workers.

The following schools have announced closures: 

County Durham: 

  • Aclet Close Nursery School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: The school will be open to children of critical workers and vulnerable children only (remote learning in place for all other children)

  • Annfield Plain Infant School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: School is closed to all pupils but criticial keyworkers and vulnerable pupils due to covid.

  • Annfield Plain Junior School

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: School is closed to all pupils but criticial keyworkers and vulnerable pupils due to covid.

  • Bearpark Primary School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: Our school is open for children of Key Workers and those who are vulnerable.

  • Bloemfontein Primary School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021  and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021. Reason for closure: The school will only be open to children of critical workers and vulnerable children.

  • Bowburn Junior School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021  and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021. Reason for closure: Bowburn Primary School - Infants Juniors and Nursery buildings will close to all children except critical workers and vulnerable children due to insufficient staffing to open the school fully.

  • Brandon Community Primary School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: School will be closed to all children Monday 4th January and will re-open Tuesday 5th January to Key Worker and Vulnerable children only to allow staff to train / plan owing to the unprecedented Covid-19 situation.

  • Burnopfield Primary School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: We are opening to keyworker/vulnerable only due to health and safety concerns.

  • Castleside Primary School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: School will be closed to all children on Monday 4th January and will re-open on Tuesday 5th January to Key Worker and Vulnerable children only, owing to the unprecedented Covid-19 situation. The closure will allow staff to plan for this change in provision.

  • Croft Community School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: School is closed to all pupils except criticial workers and vulnerable pupils due to Covid.

  • Crook Primary and Nursery School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: Safety concerns by staff

  • Deaf Hill Primary and Nursery School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: The school will be closed to all children except Vulnerable and Key Worker children due to health and safety concerns.

  • Durham Blue Coat CofE (Aided) Junior School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: the building will close to all children until am 6th January when critical workers and vulnerable children only will attend schoo due to insufficient staffing to open the school fully.

Durham St Margaret's CofE Primary School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: insuficient staffing levels due to unprecedented circumstances. The school will remain open for Key Worker and Vulnerable Children only.

  • East Stanley School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: The school will be open only to children of critical workers and vulnerable children.

  • Etherley Lane Nursery School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: Change of Teacher Training Date due to unprecedented circumstances.

  • Gainford CofE Primary School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: insufficient staffing levels due to unprecedented circumstances. The school will remain open for Key Worker and Vulnerable Children only.

  • Horden Nursery School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: The school will only be open to vulnerable children, or those who are the children of critical workers

  • Kelloe Primary School

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: The school will be closed to all children except Vulnerable and Key Worker children due to health and safety concerns.

  • Lanchester Endowed Parochial Primary School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: unknown staffing levels due to unprecedented circumstances. The school will re-open on Tuesday 5th January for Key Worker and Vulnerable Children only.

 

  • Laurel Avenue Primary School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: School will be open to children of key workers and vulnerable children only.

  • Middleton-in-Teesdale Primary School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (Morning) and re-open on Monday, 11 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: The school will only be open to children of critical workers and vulnerable children. The school will provide remote learning for all other children. We will continue to review our current offer which may be subject to change.

  • Our Lady & St Thomas RCVA Primary School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: OLST School will close to all children except Critical/Key Worker and Vulnerable children from Monday 4th January 2021 until Monday 18th January. This is due to insufficient staffing to open the school safely.

  • Our Lady of Lourdes RCVA Primary School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (Morning) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: Insufficient staffing levels due to unprecedented circumstances due to COVID. The school will remain open for Key Worker and Vulnerable Children only. The schools was going to be closed to all children from Y1-Y6 due to no heating in school.

  • Peases West Primary School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 11 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: Safety concerns from staff members. School will be open to key worker and vulnerable children only. Reviewed on 8th January.

  • Prince Bishop's Community Primary School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: Due to safety concerns, the school will be closed to ALL pupils on Monday 4th January. We will be open to the children of key workers and vulnerable children from Tuesday 5th January to Monday 18th January.

  • Red Rose Primary School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 11 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: School will close to all children except for children of critical workers and vulnerable children from 5th Jan 2021 due to the unprecedented situation. This will be reviewed on Friday.

  • Rosemary Lane Nursery School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: unknown staffing levels due to coronavirus

  • Seaham Trinity Primary School

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: School will be closed to all pupils except Key Workers and Vulnerable children.

  • Seaview Primary 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: Reviewing staffing levels, consultations with staff and updating risk assessment

  • Shincliffe CofE (Controlled) Primary School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: Insuficient staffing levels due to unprecedented circumstances. The school will remain open for Key Worker and Vulnerable Children only.

  • Shotley Bridge Primary School

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 3 January 2022 (Afternoon). Reason for closure: Partially closed. Open for Key worker/vulnerable children.

  • Silver Tree Primary School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: Due to low staffing numbers the Governors and I have agreed that the risk assessment clearly shows school can not open. It will however, be open to key worker and vulnerable children from Tuesday 5th Jan as Mon 4th was our PD day.

  • South Stanley Infant School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: School will be partially open for children of critical workers and vulnerable children for two weeks from Tuesday 5th January.

  • South Stanley Junior School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: The school will be open ONLY to vulnerable pupils and pupils of key workers from January 5th.

  • St Benet's RCVA Primary School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: Due to the unprecedented circumstances surrounding a rise in Covid cases, school will be closed for a teacher training day.

  • St Francis CofE Aided Junior School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: School will close to all children except for children of critical workers and vulnerable children from 5th Jan 2021 due to insufficient staffing to open the school fully. This will be reviewed in two weeks.

  • St Patrick's RCVA Primary School (Consett) 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: reduced staffing levels due to unprecedented circumstances and to plan next steps. The school will re-open on Tuesday 5th January for Key Worker and Vulnerable Children only.

  • Staindrop CofE (Controlled) Primary School

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 11 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: The school will only be open to children of critical workers and vulnerable children. The school will provide remote learning for all other children. We will continue to review our current offer which may be subject to change.

  • Sunnybrow Primary School 

The school will close on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: The school will be open only for vulnerable children and children of key workers due to Covid 19.

  • Tanfield Lea Community Primary School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: School will be closed to all children on Monday 4th January and will re-open on Tuesday 5th January to Key Worker and Vulnerable children only, owing to the unprecedented Covid-19 situation. The closure will allow staff to plan for this change in provision.

  • The Oaks Secondary School

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: School is closed to all pupils except criticial workers and vulnerable pupils due to Covid.

  • West Cornforth Primary School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Monday, 18 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: Rising rate of infection. The school will be open to vulnerable pupils and pupils of key workers from Monday January 5th.

  • Westlea Primary School 

The school will close on Monday, 4 January 2021 (All day) and re-open on Tuesday, 5 January 2021 (Morning). Reason for closure: Consultations with staff and risk assessment

Teesside

  • Ash Trees Academy, Billingham 

The school will be closed to all pupils on Monday, 4 January and Tuesday, 5 January. It is expected to reopen on Wednesday, 6 January to vulnerable children or families of key workers.

Reason for closure: Staffing issues due to COVID.

  • Rosebrook Primary School, Stockton

The school will be closed on Monday, 4 January and is expecting to reopen on Tuesday, 5 January. 

Reason for closure: Heating and hot water problems.

  • Westlands Academy,Stockton

The school will be closed on Monday, 4 January and is expecting to reopen on Tuesday, 5 January. 
Reason for closure: Closed to all pupils for staff training.

  • Abbey Hill Academy, Stockton

The school will be closed on Monday, 4 January and is expecting to reopen on Tuesday, 5 January.
Reason for closure: Closed to all pupils for staff training.

  • Captain Cook Primary School, in Marton
  • Kirkleatham Primary School, in Redcar​