Calls for all schools to remain closed after Gavin Williamson U-turn in London

This caused the leaders of eight London boroughs to urge the government to change their minds in an open letter outlying their "struggle to understand the rationale" behind the decision.

Within 24 hours it appears the Government have conceded defeat. An emergency Cabinet Office meeting on New Year’s Day, which signed off on the revision, has added the remaining ten education authorities to the government’s contingency areas.

Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said the announcement affecting London should also apply to the rest of the country.

“What is right for London is right for the rest of the country,” she said.

“It is time for the Government to protect its citizens, and in particular its children, by shutting all primary schools for two weeks in order for the situation to be properly assessed, schools made much safer and children and their families protected.”

She also told ITV News that Gavin Williamson has now “lost the confidence of teachers and parents” and remaining in his post now looks “very difficult”.

“The Government have finally seen sense and U-turned,” Sadiq Khan tweeted today.

“All primary schools across London will be treated the same.

“This is the right decision – and I want to thank education minister Nick Gibb for our constructive conversations over the past two days.”

Teachers working in Greenwich tweeted their support of the decision and thanked local MPs for closing the schools.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Over the past week we have seen infections and hospitalisations rise sharply across London and hospitals are coming under increased pressure.

“While our priority is to keep as many children as possible in school, we have to strike a balance between education and infection rates and pressures on the NHS.

“The situation in London continues to worsen and so today we are taking action to protect the public and reduce the spread of this disease in the community.

“Everyone across London must take this situation incredibly seriously and act responsibly to minimise the spread of this deadly disease.”

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson added: “Children’s education and wellbeing remains a national priority.

“Moving further parts of London to remote education really is a last resort and a temporary solution.

“As infection rates rise across the country, and particularly in London, we must make this move to protect our country and the NHS. We will continue keep the list of local authorities under review, and reopen classrooms as soon as we possibly can.”

Labour’s shadow education secretary Kate Green said the last-minute nature of the Government’s London schools decision had caused “huge stress” for pupils, families and staff.

She said: “This is yet another Government U-turn creating chaos for parents just two days before the start of term.

“Gavin Williamson’s incompetent handling of the return of schools and colleges is creating huge stress for parents, pupils, and school and college staff and damaging children’s education.

“The Government failed to get mass testing for schools and colleges in place when Labour called for it and they have failed to develop credible plans for remote learning when pupils cannot be in school.

“This U-turn was needed to provide consistency in London. However, Gavin Williamson must still clarify why some schools in Tier 4 are closing and what the criteria for reopening will be.

“School and college staff urgently need reassurance that the Government is putting proper support in place to make all schools Covid secure work environments.”