Schools reopen as UK temperatures riseCouncils in areas badly hit by snow say most schools will be open again as thaw begins

Thousands of schools around Britain were open again today as temperatures above zero brought respite from the snow and ice, although forecasters warned of the possibility of more snow to come.

Councils in some of the areas worst hit last week - among them the north-west of England and counties north and east of London - said most schools would reopen, particularly secondary schools at which many pupils are due to begin taking modular exams for AS and A-levels this week.

In a notice to parents on its website, Manchester council said it expected "the vast majority" of schools to be open, with a similar messages from councils in Salford, Liverpool, Hampshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, all of which were badly affected.

There were also no closures reported in Essex and a much-improved situation in Gloucestershire, while a handful of schools in the West Midlands remained shut.

Around 100 schools were still closed in Kent and Wales, along with more than 90 in West Yorkshire. The Scottish government said 90% of schools would be open again today.

The schools secretary, Ed Balls, urged schools to reopen "if at all possible".

"Heads have got difficult judgments to make," he told Sky News. "I am sure no head wants to close their school if they can avoid it.

"But it is really important to take a balanced view and not to overstate risks like slipping in the playground, or having slightly less supervision.

"The important thing to do is, if at all possible, open schools, get our children learning, stop the disruption for working parents and also make sure that those exams can go ahead today and over the course of this week."

For the first time in days, daytime temperatures in almost the whole of the UK were expected to creep above 0C, reaching as high as 6C in the far north of Scotland.

However, many areas will see overnight frost, with more snow forecast for Wales and south-west England tomorrow although, if temperatures continue to rise, some of this could fall as rain. By Friday, temperatures in many areas are expected to rise to around 3C to 7C.

The thaw is expected to bring respite to the strained transport system, particularly the roads, for which supplies of salt and grit have been running low.

Most train operators were planning to run normal services today apart from a few minor changes, although Eurostar services were still restricted following a breakdown last week.

Airlines and airports were also looking in better shape, with easyJet reporting fewer cancellations.Report by Peter Walker Guardian website.

Published: 11.1.2010