A number of primary schools across Greater Manchester have chosen to remain closed today amid fears over spiking COVID-19 rates.
Despite the latest average infection rate numbers in England increasing by 23% week on week to 509 cases per 100,000 people, the UK government announced that primary schools in Tier 4 areas – outside of London – should remain open.
Throughout Greater Manchester, the rate still remains below that of the national average at 278.5 per 100,000 people, but it is seen to be increasing at a sharper speed, with the region recording a 36% rise in cases week on week.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced yesterday during an interview on The Andrew Marr Show that “schools are safe” and primary school parents should send their children back as they reopened their gates today, despite growing pressure from unions to keep them closed.
Paul Whiteman – General Secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT – said it was “very hard to tell” how many schools would be open for the start of the term. He added: “Some schools in Tier 4 areas will be open for vulnerable pupils and key worker families and will be providing remote learning for others, yet in other areas also in Tier 4, all pupils will be admitted,”
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“That’s a confusing picture for school leaders and families alike.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also said it was “inevitable” that more schools will close and urged the government to come up with a plan on children’s learning and for working parents.
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Parents should send their children to primary school in the areas where they are open, says the Prime Minister pic.twitter.com/MVHv7tXR9y
— Department for Education (@educationgovuk) January 3, 2021
This has lead a growing number of primary schools across the region to remain shut today.
Unlike other areas, the majority of councils across Greater Manchester have not called on all their schools to close, but have said they will support any individual school that makes the decision.
Headteachers at each of the schools to announce closure so far across the region have stated that staff members being advised by teaching unions not to attend work on to health and safety grounds as the reasoning for remaining closed.
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22 primary schools across the region have already confirmed they will not be reopening today, with more expected to keep their doors shut throughout the morning.
The institutions which have remained closed today are:
St. Mary’s C.E. High Crompton Primary School, Oldham
Knowsley Junior School, Oldham
Holy Trinity C of E School, Oldham
Mount Carmel R.C, Blakley
Oswald Road Primary, Chorlton
St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Wythenshawe
Birchfields Primary School, Fallowfield
Pictor Academy, Altrincham
Longford Park School, Stretford
Barton Clough Primary School, Stretford
St Mark’s CE Primary School, Newtown
Lowercroft Primary School, Bury
Lily Lane Primary School, Moston
New Moston Primary School, New Moston
Abbott Community Primary School, Collyhurst
Mills Hill Primary School, Chadderton
Ashfield Valley Primary School, Rochdale
Little Heaton CE Primary School, Middleton
St Anne’s RC Primary School, Crumpsall
Manor Green Primary Academy, Denton
Broomwood Primary School, Timperley
Acre Hall Primary School, Flixton
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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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Greater Manchester’s ‘Stroll for Salford’ walking event returns for its second year in 2026
Danny Jones
Following its successful debut last year, Greater Manchester’s now much-loved Stroll for Salford (SfS) event is back for 2026 this autumn.
We’d like to think everyone from around here is filled with hometown pride, but you ask anyone from Salford, and they’ll quickly remind you that this place is its own city, and that it quite rightly deserves celebrating all of its own.
And that’s exactly what the SfS is all about: not just toasting it as the region’s so-called ‘second city’, but as the culturally abundant place that it is and has been for more than 100 years.
Yes, with this sophomore edition following on from the borough celebrating its official Centenary, what better time to hail all things Salfordian.
Stroll for Salford is back🚶🧡
We are delighted to announce the return of the popular fundraising walk back for its second edition on Saturday 19th September as part of Salford's Centenary Year celebrations!
— Salford City FC Foundation (@SalfordCity_FDN) July 30, 2026
Set up by Salford City FC and the partnered charity arm, Foundation 92, the inaugural walk raised more than £3,000 for charity with its maiden event.
Thousands got behind the cause, be it through volunteering and/or donating, as well as talking on the walking route itself back in October.
It’s actually happening a little earlier this time, with the second Stroll for Salford scheduled for Saturday, 19 September.
Kicking off from 10am, those taking part will be setting out on foot for a six-mile journey across the city, starting at the likes of the Civic Centre in Swinton, before passing through other key towns and finishing, of course, at Salford’s AIG Stadium on Moor Lane in Kersal.
The local League Two side continues to do plenty of important work in and around the community – this is just one of many recent, well-received initiatives.
As mentioned earlier, those getting involved will not only receive a special Salford t-shirt following the event alongside a finisher’s medal, but even a complimentary ticket to go and see ‘The Ammies’ in action at their home ground this season.
Not a bad deal at all.
For anyone uninitiated interested in coming along the journey, the route will also pass several key landmarks and a real sense of local history – all while doing your bit for a good cause.
You can help raise important funds for the local area and sign up for the Stroll for Salford 2026 HERE.
Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, another wholesome all-ages event is fast-approaching this August, too; keep on reading to find out all about it…
Andy Burnham invites opposition party leaders to help tackle ‘broken’ social care system
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has announced that he is making the choice to fix the ‘broken’ social care system by finding ‘common ground’ across party lines.
Attempting to draw a line under what the Government has described as ‘decades of decline’ and a refusal to tackle these problems head on, Andy Burnham has now called on all political parties to focus on solving problems and finding solutions together, rather than pointing fingers at the opposition and getting nowhere.
The Prime Minister has reiterated the need for ‘a new kind of politics’ that puts differences aside in order to come together and face up to the challenges that he says Westminster has left unaddressed for ‘too long’.
Burnham invited the leaders of the two main opposition parties, Kemi Badenoch and Ed Davey, to meet with him today (29 July) to ‘kickstart’ this work and discuss an urgent reform on social care.
The three leaders were jointed by Health Secretary Yvette Cooper and Baroness Louise Casey, who is leading the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care which will draw up recommendations to deliver a National Care Service.
Baroness Casey has also launched the new Big Conversation on Care today.
The Big Conversation on Care is giving the public a chance to share their views and help shape the future of adult social care in England so that it is designed for the people it is there to serve.
The consultation will be open to everyone through a new online platform, and will start off the conversation by asking people about what the ‘values and principles’ we should all expect from a care system are.
“Last week I said we needed a different kind of politics [and] nowhere is that more urgent than social care,” Andy Burnham said in his speech.
“For decades, Governments have kicked this issue down the road because they’ve seen it as too risky, too difficult, and too complicated. Politicians might have different views but I’m serious about fixing this issue, and to do that, we have to find common ground and listen to others to find a way forward.
“That’s why I’m making this choice and I’m prepared to put everything I’ve got behind it.”
The Prime Minister says it’s time to ‘draw a line under people playing politics’ when the human cost of that means carers are struggling, families are paying the price, and the NHS is ‘buckling’ under the strain.
“This comes down to a choice,” his statement continued.
“We can carry on passing the problem to the next generation, or we can face it head on and work together to build a care system that gives people dignity, security and the support they deserve.”
The Manc -
4th January 2021 
