He said all pupils in exam years will now return during the week beginning on January 11, with all secondary and college pupils returning full-time on January 18. During the first week of term after January 4, secondary schools and colleges will instead prepare to test as “many staff and students as possible” and will only be open to vulnerable children and children of key workers, he added. The Covid infection rate is particularly high among secondary school age pupils. - Credit: PA He told MPs: "The latest study we have from Public Health England is that Covid infections among children are triggered by changes in the community rate.