HUNDREDS of children of key workers were unable to go to school on Tuesday as headteachers were forced to implement closures due to the government’s last-minute lockdown announcement.


In his speech to the nation at 8pm on Monday, Mr Johnson told the public: “Primary schools, secondary schools and colleges across England must move to remote provision from tomorrow, except for vulnerable children and the children of key workers.”


However, for many key workers, this was not the case on Tuesday, as schools were forced to close completely to prepare.


With just hours’ notice, headteachers were forced to make plans late on Monday evening, with many having no choice but to close the school entirely the following day.


At least 55 schools in Hampshire were affected, including several in Basingstoke which announced they would not open for key worker children, because it was not feasible to put plans in place with just hours’ notice.


This left some key workers - including staff from Hampshire Hospitals - forced to stay at home to look after their children, resulting in wider disruption to services.

You can read the full story in this week’s edition of The Gazette. Also in this week's paper:

  • An off-duty Basingstoke hospital worker has pleaded guilty to poisoning a baby. 
  • A Basingstoke pub landlord who raised £52,500 for various charities through virtual quizzes has been honoured with a British Empire Medal (BEM).
  • There are now more Covid patients being treated at Hampshire hospitals than there was at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic’s first wave.
  • Some planned operations are being postponed because of a “sharp rise” in Covid-19 patients, the chief executive of Basingstoke hospital has announced.
  • A beloved family cat was found hung up on the branch of a tree “like a trophy” after being shot through the neck with a rifle.  
  • Plans for nearly 80 new apartments in the town centre “run roughshod” over the community, a businessman has said.
  • A fed-up nurse has sent a scathing letter to her local councillors after flooding on Christmas Day left residents trapped in their homes.
  • Concerns have been raised about the safety of nursery workers in Basingstoke after the government announced England was heading into a third national lockdown.
  • PLUS: All the latest from Basingstoke Magistrates' Court.
  • Two pages of your letters to the editor.
  • Pictures: Basingstoke toasts the new year a little differently than normal
  • News from our communities.
  • An eight-page puzzle special.
  • Entertainment news.
  • Four pages of sports news. And much more 

 

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