Unions demand four-week school shutdown but Boris Johnson to keep classes OPEN during national lockdown

TEACHING unions have demanded a four-week school shutdown, but Boris Johnson has vowed to keep classes open during a second national lockdown.

The National Education Union (NEU) urged the PM to include schools and colleges in England's new month-long shutdown from next Thursday.

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But the PM told the nation in a live TV address last night: "School is the best place for children to be.

"We cannot let the virus damage our children futures more than it already has."

Mr Johnson last night announced a package of strict Covid-19 restrictions which will last until December 2.

The measures, due to come into force on Thursday, will mean all pubs and restaurants close in a huge U-turn - four months after the first UK-wide shutdown.

Demanding classrooms are shut, NEU Joint General Secretary Kevin Courtney insisted ONS data showed schools "are an engine for virus transmission".

Mr Courtney said: "It would be self-defeating for the Government to impose a national lockdown, whilst ignoring the role of schools as a major contributor to the spread of the virus. 

"The Government should include all schools in proposals for an immediate national lockdown."

Failing to close schools would lead to "even longer lockdowns in future", Mr Courtney claimed.

The union argued schools should remain open only to children of key workers and vulnerable children.

Under the imminent new lockdown, non essential retail will close, though supermarkets will not have to seal off non-essential goods as was seen in Wales during their short-term lockdown.

Working from home will also be encouraged.

Outbound international travel will be banned except for work purposes and travel within the UK will be discouraged, except for work.

But, unlike the first lockdown, schools and universities will remain open.

It comes as Britain passed one million Covid cases after 21,915 more people positive for the bug.

Another 326 deaths have been recorded, meaning 46,555 have now died of coronavirus in the UK.

The Government has vowed to keep schools open and schools are a current exemption on the three-tiered local lockdown system that regions in England have been under.

The PM said that kids' "life chances" were under threat if they spent more time out of class.

In regions under tier three lockdown measures, schools have remained open while hospitality venues have been forced to close.

Closing schools has been seen by some officials as a mistake and it would be an absolute last resort for ministers to do it again.

Mr Johnson has insisted that schools and colleges should only ever be shut again as a "very, very last resort", even if the country goes into full or circuit breaker lockdown.

The decision to impose tougher restrictions comes as experts warned the Prime Minister that enforcing full restrictions from next week will be the only way to rescue the festive period.

The virus is thought to be spreading faster than the initial "worst-case scenario" predicted.