Nurseries will stay open in coronavirus hotspots, the Government has announced.
Today Education Secretary Gavin Williamson explained that all primary schools will be closed to all but key workers' and vulnerable children in 49 council areas until up to January 18.
Children will be allowed back to nurseries in those areas however.
At present there are "no plans" to keep shut nurseries in the Tier 4 hotspots, a spokesperson for Boris Johnson has said.
On its website the Government has warned that attendance may be limited to "vulnerable children and children of critical workers" if "the evidence supports it" - suggesting another big spike in coronavirus cases might change things.
Plans for older pupils' return to school however have been severely disrupted.
Students in exam years are to return to secondary schools a week later than planned, from January 11.
Other secondary and college students will go back full-time on January 18.
There has been growing concern from teaching unions and scientists about the spread of the virus following the discovery of its much more transmissible variant, with rising case rates and hospital admissions in many parts of the country.
Mr Williamson told MPs in the Commons that the Government had to make an "immediate adjustment" to its plans for the reopening of schools in early January.
He said: "We must always act swiftly when circumstances change.
"The evidence about the new Covid variant and rising infection rates have required some immediate adjustment to our plans for the new term."
He added: "The latest study we have from Public Health England is that Covid infections among children are triggered by changes in the community rate.
"The study also says that the wider impact of school closures on children's development would be significant.
"I'm quite clear that we must continue to do all we can to keep children in school."
In a message to parents the Prime Minister said that unless schools were in areas of very high infection rates, parents should allow their children to return.
"Schools are safe, the problem is not the schools," he said.
"Send your children, send your family to school in the normal way, absolutely right to do."
The Prime Minister added that the measures surrounding schools were to "combat... the mixing that naturally takes place in schools".
The school announcement came after Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons that large parts of England would be placed in Tier 4 at midnight tonight.
