A NUMBER of schools in Barrow, Dalton and Ulverston will be open from today for eligible children.

Cumbria County Council has coordinated with the schools to ensure some stay open to allow parents to access childcare.

Places will be limited and will only be available for Tier 1 children of key workers.

Chetwynde School, Vickerstown Primary School and St Pius Catholic Primary School in Barrow, along with Dowdales and Dalton St Mary’s in Dalton, all volunteered to act as hub schools and will be open from today.

Haverigg Primary School will remain open in Copeland as will Lindale Primary School, Pennington and Penny Bridge Primary Academy.

In Ulverston Sir John Barrow, Chapel Street Infants and Croftlands Junior School will act as hub schools. Askam Village School will also be open.

Chetwynde will continue delivering packed lunches to children eligible for free school meals.

These include pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, as well as those identified as vulnerable. Most schools have provided updated information on their websites.

St George’s Primary School and Ramsden Infant School have been delivering lunches as well as Vickerstown and St Pius.

Dowdales has opened up its canteen to primary schools in Dalton.

Eligible parents will be contacted today to be told which school their child should attend.

The Government announced that schools should close for most pupils until further notice from Friday, March 20 as part of their measures to stem the spread of coronavirus.