Fears are growing over the extent of disruption schools and colleges could face when they reopen after Christmas.
With scientists warning the new Covid-19 strain could cause between 25,000 and 75,000 deaths in England over the next five months, those working in education are concerned what the impact will be.
Teaching unions say mitigation measures in schools and colleges so far have been 'woefully inadequate' and are calling on the government to step up its efforts to avoid pupils facing further disruption after the festive break.
Read more: Entire school year group sent home amid suspected Omicron case
“The NEU is calling for the government to introduce a plan B for schools and colleges now," said Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union.
"They must urgently increase the level of mitigation's to slow the spread of Covid in our schools."
Among the measures being requested are improved ventilation, the wearing of face masks in secondary classrooms and not just communal areas, and the reintroduction of one-way routes and staggered break times 'to minimise mixing between classes and year groups wherever possible'.
The union also says children who have a sibling or other household member with Covid-19 should not attend school or college until they have had a negative PCR test - as in Scotland - in addition to the government guidance of 10-day isolation on close contacts of confirmed or suspected Omicron cases.
Headteachers have raised their own concerns over how they will manage the predicted rise in cases.
Secondaries have already been asked to test pupils on their return in January, but with staff numbers also impacted, it's feared many will struggle to set up the test centres they've previously run on site.
Glyn Potts, headteacher of Newman RC College in Oldham, admits he is 'really worried about what January will bring, particularly now as they’re predicting million positive cases by the end of December'.
"We planning for every potential decision at the moment," he said. "We must remain open, but be supported in how each school can manage it."
And the head of Oasis Academy Oldham has already written to parents to warn them of possible disruption in the new year.
The letter from principal Marie Dillon says: "We do not yet know what the rate of Covid-19 will be in our local area in January. Therefore, we are preparing this week so that we can introduce more precautions in the new year if necessary."
The parent of one pupil told the Manchester Evening News: "They've prepared my lad for online lessons. They seem to think they won't be back in.
"I'm working on the basis that they won't because of how teachers have spoken to the students."
Has your child's school warned of disruption after Christmas? Is the new variant having an impact on your child's final week in school? Let us know your views in the comments here.
It comes as health secretary Sajid Javid said he couldn't guarantee that schools will not close again due to the pandemic.
During a round of media interviews, Mr Javid was asked whether school closures remained a possibility.
The health secretary told LBC Radio: “Well, I don’t want to see that or any of these kinds of measures. I’m just going to focus on everything else we need to be doing, especially the booster programme.”
He added: “I’d say this… if you are asking me for guarantees, I will just say – as the health secretary, of course, I’m not the education secretary – as the health secretary, that, when it comes to our fight against this pandemic, there are no guarantees."
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We are incredibly grateful to teachers and all education staff for their efforts to protect face-to-face education. The classroom is the very best place for children and young people’s development.
“We have already taken action to help manage the Omicron variant, including asking older students and staff to wear face coverings in communal areas and asking secondary schools to offer on-site testing at the start of the spring term.
“We strongly encourage everyone to keep testing regularly and get their booster jab as soon as possible to help further protect education.”
