Many areas in parts of Hertfordshire, London and Essex will be told to keep primary schools shut.

Primary schools in select areas of England will be asked to stay shut to all but vulnerable children and those of key workers for the start of term in January - and all other pupils will be encouraged to use remote learning.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson called this a "last resort" and the majority of areas will have schools opened as planned on Monday (January 4).

The primary schools told to stay closed in Hertfordshire include Watford, Broxbourne, Hertsmere and Three Rivers.

In Essex, Epping Forest, Harlow and Chelmsford are among those to stay shut.

The full list of Essex areas are: 

  • Brentwood
  • Epping Forest
  • Castle Point
  • Basildon
  • Rochford
  • Harlow
  • Chelmsford
  • Braintree
  • Maldon
  • Southend on Sea
  • Thurrock

And in London, the following areas affected - including Redbridge which the Government initially did not list - are:

  • Barking and Dagenham
  • Barnet
  • Bexley
  • Brent
  • Bromley
  • Croydon
  • Ealing
  • Enfield
  • Hammersmith and Fulham
  • Havering
  • Hillingdon
  • Hounslow
  • Kensington and Chelsea
  • Merton
  • Newham
  • Redbridge
  • Richmond-Upon-Thames
  • Southwark
  • Sutton
  • Tower Hamlets
  • Waltham Forest
  • Wandsworth
  • Westminster