Boris Johnson is expected to make an imminent decision on whether to keep secondary schools closed in a bid to try and reduce coronavirus transmission.
The Prime Minister is set to chair a key meeting today, Wednesday, December 30, looking at delaying the reopening of secondary schools, according to the Daily Telegraph.
It comes amid growing concerns from unions and scientists about the spread of the virus following the discovery of its much more transmissible variant.
Under current plans primary school children and children in Year 11 and 13 were set to return from Monday, with the majority of other children due to return to classes a week later.
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But according to TES, a new plan approved by ministers will see Year 11 and 13 exam students not return from January 4 as planned.
But London mayor Sadiq Khan said he did not want to see schools closed or the education of children disrupted.
In a statement, Mr Khan said: "With the situation in our hospitals at critical levels, ministers must take action to reduce the spread of the virus and delay the reopening of secondary schools for in-person learning for most children until later in January, with the exception of vulnerable children and the children of key workers."
Labour has called for Education Secretary Gavin Williamson to make a statement to MPs on Wednesday on the plan for schools and colleges.
Shadow education secretary Kate Green said: "Coronavirus rates are rising, and parents, staff and pupils are crying out for clarity about the start of term next week. Silence from Government is not an option."
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PA reports Professor Neil Ferguson, a member of the Government's New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), said schools staying shut may be "required" if it was "the only alternative to having exponentially growing numbers of hospitalisations".
Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) members Professor Andrew Hayward and Dr Mike Tildesley have also suggested a possible "slight delay" to having pupils back on site.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman told a Westminster briefing on Tuesday: "We're still planning for a staggered opening of schools and we are working to ensure testing is in place.
"As we have said throughout the pandemic, we obviously keep all measures under constant review."
