Now that most Covid-19 restrictions have relaxed across the country, families will be looking forward to a little normality returning to the classroom between now and 2022.

It's almost half term and we know that your kids have earned some downtime.

With these next set of holidays fast approaching, here are the dates and recent Covid updates to help you plan their time off.

Since half term dates vary by school, we are using the guidance from Oxfordshire County Council but we recommend checking with your local school too.

Oxford Mail: An empty school classroom

When are the October half-term dates in Oxfordshire?

According to the Oxfordshire County Council website, schools will close on Friday, October 22.

They will then reopen on Monday, November 1 for the new term.

The autumn term runs until Friday, December 17 2021.  

Will there be a Covid 'firebreak' lockdown? 

The Government has set out its winter plan to tackle Covid in England.

Plan A includes healthy 12-15-year-olds are being offered one dose and booster jabs being offered to over-50s, younger adults with health conditions and frontline health and social care workers.

If this guidance creates "unsustainable pressure" on the NHS, the government has created Plan B, which includes compulsory face coverings in some settings, asking people to work from home and the introduction of vaccine passports.

In September, the i newspaper said there were plans for an October 'firebreak' lockdown over the half-term holiday. 

However, the Department for Education dismissed these claims, tweeting: "It is not true that the Government is planning a lockdown or firebreak around the October half term."

As of October 3rd, 30,439 people in the UK tested positive for Covid-19 and there were 43 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

Nearly 45 million people have been double jabbed up to October 2nd, 2021.