Sajid Javid lays out plan for Covid passes for large events

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Teachers at Oldfleet Primary School, in east Hull, reportedly took the precautionary step to shelve the festive plans as Covid cases soar across the UK. It is understood parents were informed of the decision on Thursday, December 9, just one day before the nativity plays were due to begin.

One parent said: “As a parent I’m absolutely gutted another activity has been cancelled”, HullLive reports.

They added: “These are main points during children’s education that both students and parents enjoy and we will never ever be able to get this time back.

“Why is it one rule for some and a different rule for others?

“I completely understand schools and organisations have to comply with the given guidelines. However, if the case is the government have still advised they can go ahead then why are they making their own decision to cancel within 24 hours?

“I’m absolutely devastated with this news to the point of tears.”

A day before the Christmas plays were reportedly cancelled, Boris Johnson said they could go ahead when asked at a Downing Street briefing.

Speaking on December 8, Mr Johnson said: “We don’t want kids to be taken out of school before the end of term and we don’t want nativity plays to be cancelled.

“It’s OK to keep going with Christmas parties but obviously everybody should exercise due caution, have ventilation, wash your hands, get a test before you go – give everybody else confidence they are going to be meeting somebody who is not contagious.”

This is not the first time pupils at the school have missed out on a major event in the calendar.

Sports Day was reportedly cancelled earlier in the summer due to fears over Covid, despite government guidance saying they could take place.

Express.co.uk has contacted the school for comment.

The UK will be moving onto Plan B restrictions following a surge of the new Omicron variant.

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The rules will expand the wearing of masks and introduce vaccine passports for large venues.

The rules in schools will remain unchanged, with staff and pupils in Year 7 and above advised to wears masks when moving around the building.

However, Downing Street has today refused to rule out the possibility of schools closing early for Christmas.

A Number 10 spokesman said it would only happen if it is deemed “necessary on public health grounds”.

It comes after a teaching union urged the Government to stagger the return of pupils to schools in January amid concerns about the Omicron variant.

A Number 10 spokesman said: “Certainly we do not think anyone should be closing schools early unless they have received advice from the local director of public health that it’s necessary on public health grounds.

“We wouldn’t want to see that happening routinely, just as a precaution, because as I’ve said, education is vital. And we’ve seen, sadly, because of the public health crisis, children have to miss face-to-face education.

“And so it’s very important that we maintain schooling as much as possible.”

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