FRIDAY'S announcement by education minister Kirsty Williams the Wales' youngest children will be able to return to school later this month has triggered mixed reactions from some of our readers.

Children aged between three and seven will be able to return to classroom teaching from Monday, February 22.

This was expected after first minister Mark Drakeford said on January 29 that the foundation phase learners – those aged up to seven – would start returning to classrooms after the February half term if coronavirus case rates continued to fall.

It was said that there would be a two-week notice period between the announcement being made and the date which children would be able to start returning.

There was a mixed bag of reactions from our readers who commented on the announcement on the Argus Facebook page, with some welcoming the news, others not, and some questioning why all years cannot return.

MORE NEWS:

Among them, Lee Jenkins said: "About time. All kids should be in school. It's not about your fear and hysteria. It's about their mental well being and education".

Richard Davies said: "So we're in the middle of the pandemic, cases are rising again, children are super spreaders and now they're going back in school.

"This age group is one that doesn't understand social distancing".

Russell Louth said: "Will be great to see the kids back, this is fantastic news, now let get all schools open".

Vicky Flanagan said: "Excellent, let's get the others back too. A year of disrupted learning is already too long".