Sussex's Primary School Reopenings Fragmented After Covid Concerns

Brighton and Hove City Council has split from government guidance, and is calling on the city's primary schools to stay closed to most children today (January 4), in response to concerns about rapidly rising coronavirus cases.

The government has given permission only to primary schools in Hastings and Rother to stay generally closed to all but vulnerable children, and the children of key workers today. 

Though the government and our county councils advise all other primaries to reopen to everyone, several already say they won't.

The split policy comes as testing reveals a further very large increase in new cases of coronavirus detected across Sussex.

There were 1,746 reported on Sunday (January 3), with 796 in West Sussex, 671 in East Sussex, and 279 in Brighton and Hove.

It brings the total of positive diagnoses across all Sussex to 43,639.

In East Sussex, teachers' union the National Education Union is giving advice to its members in several parts of the county:

"All, or a majority of, schools in Lewes, Eastbourne, Seaford and Peacehaven and many more across East Sussex will only be open to key worker and vulnerable children this week as large number of school staff following union advice are citing their rights not to attend a workplace that is unsafe for them or others."

Both East Sussex and West Sussex county councils maintain lists of schools which have announced official closures today.

However, many parents are reporting communications from their schools, about closures, without the schools appearing on some council lists, particularly West Sussex's official register.

More Radio has requested up-to-date information from all three of Sussex's upper-tier local authorities with responsibility for education.

Click here for East Sussex's official closures.

Click here for West Sussex's official closures.