tomos morgan, bbc news. be announced by the prime minister on monday. the government has said it'll be guided by data not dates — so what are the figures suggesting? our health correspondent katharine da costa is with me. what do we think? overall, the data is moving in the right direction, the ons survey suggests infections are continuing to fall in all four uk nations, that survey looks at swabs from those with or without symptoms from a cross—section of the population and in the week to last friday it found in england, won in 115 had the virus, one in 125 in wales, one in 105 in northern ireland, in scotland the prevalence is lower at one in 180 with the virus. yesterday, the reactor survey suggested infections in england were falling fastest in london and the south—east and more slowly in the north but there still still large numbers of covid patients in hospitals across the uk. after a second peak in early january, patient numbers have fallen back to about 20,000 now. similarto patient numbers have fall

here's tomos morgan., at least until the 15th of march. i like learning, i like playing with my friends at school. i'd say i'm glad that i'm not going back. i kind of like it at home. it's been a really difficult couple of months trying i to teach an eight—year—old i and a six—year—old at home. too many distractions at home. it's not the best - learning environment. but the school's been really good, putting some online classes- and some virtual classes on, so that's been really- beneficial in their education, - but we are a bit concerned at them being set back from i where they should be. this phased return of the youngest children coming back to the classroom first is being done so the welsh government can monitor what impact more pupils returning to the classroom at any one time has on coronavirus rates. however, the current plan does mean that it's looking unlikely that all high school children will be back in the classroom before the easter holidays. i think every teacher, if you ask them, would want

here's our wales correspondent, tomos morgan.ccination is given, the pandemic in wales seems to now be going in the right direction. on monday, the youngest learners will be going back to the classroom and today, the first minister has announced that the rest of primary school children over seven years old could return on the 15th of march along with exam grade pupils in high schools. i am very grateful to everyone who has been involved in this work to prepare for the return of face—to—face learning. getting children back into school remains the welsh government's top priority. the r rate in wales is now below one, which has allowed the welsh government to also consider opening nonessential shops, beauty parlours, and hairdressers next month. it is a cautious welcome for those in the industry that will still probably not be able to recoup the full profits when they reopen. we are going to only be able to have limited capacity. possibly only 50%—70%. we're also going be opening with more debt than we have ever had before. so when

return on monday and older pupils could join them on march the 15th. 0ur correspondent in cardiff, tomos morganrd, later on today. i think what the first minister was saying really, kind of what he's been saying all along, he wants things to be moving in the right direction before he starts making decisions, the kind of key factors and measures he bases those decisions on, the rate of vaccinations, currently the highest levels yet in terms of the number of people getting vaccinated and the number that have been vaccinated, the highest of the four nations. the case rates of people, that number of people that have coronavirus in wales, again, the lowest of the four nations. and the number of people in hospital, continues to dencrease and the r rate, as well, decreasing so because those are moving in the right direction, the first minister has said today and will say in his press conference he is looking ahead to what can ease next so there won't be any big changes in a stay at home, lockdown restrictions. what there will be is the potential for children, the rest of primary schoolchildren, to be

let's speak to our wales correspondent tomos morgan who's at a school in penarth.de penarth hasjust opened. we have children up to seven years old. it is a phased return in wales of primary schoolchildren. the rest of primary schoolchildren will hopefully be coming back on the 15th of march, as long as things keep moving in the right direction. so say the welsh government. that means can —— vaccination rates continue to go in the same way. and transmission rates continue to come down. at that point somehow schoolchildren may come back to school as well. you might be able to see just behind me the reception class. i don't know if you can see through the glass there. many of them dressed as dinosaurs today. a way to get them back in the mood, back to school after such a long period. the protocols and safety measures have been put in place. the head teacherjoins me. talk to me about the difference this time around compared to september? i time around compared to september? i suppose the main difference is that we have _ suppose the main difference is that we have got

tomos morgan is in cardiff.e — in wales? i think it's probably going to be a _ in wales? i think it's probably going to be a little _ in wales? i think it's probably going to be a little bit - in wales? i think it's probably going to be a little bit slower| in wales? i think it's probably - going to be a little bit slower than what we may hear from borisjohnson on monday with regards to easing in england but what the first minister will set out in wales today is that he will hope that if things keep moving in the right direction that the rest of primary age schoolchildren could return on the 15th of march, and some older children in high school, probably those in the exam grades, could also return. when he says things moving in the right direction, what he means is that the number of people vaccinated continues at the same paceit vaccinated continues at the same pace it is at the moment, wales is currently leading the way in vaccinations in the four uk nations. the case rate has fallen in wales considerably. in

correspondent alexandra mackenzie at a school in glasgow — but first here's our wales correspondent tomos morganrnment. that means vaccination rates continuing to go in the same way, and hospital numbers and covid transmission rates continue to come down. high school children may come back to school as well. you might be able to see just behind me the reception class. i don't know if you can see through the glass. many of them dressed as dinosaurs today, a way to get them back in the mood, back to school after a long period out. the school has been putting protocols in place. mark is the head teacher. talk to me a little bit about the difference this time around compared to september? the main difference is that we have got just half of our school back. just the foundation phase. it is a more gradual return. a chance to, i suppose, look at how this affects the r number and the numbers with coronavirus, and to see whether or not it is safe to bring the rest of the school back in three weeks' time. i hope that is the case. it would be a good thing for everyone. i'm sure it has been difficult, it h

our correspondent in cardiff, tomos morgan, explained what we can expect to be announced by wales's firstest levels yet in terms of the number of people getting vaccinated and the number that have been vaccinated, the highest of the four nations. the case rates of people, that number of people that have coronavirus in wales, again, the lowest of the four nations. and the number of people in hospital, continues to decrease and the r rate, as well, decreasing so because those are moving in the right direction, the first minister has said today and will say in his press conference he is looking ahead to what can ease next so there won't be any big changes in a stay at home, lockdown restrictions. what there will be is the potential for children, the rest of primary schoolchildren, to be coming back to the classroom on the 15th and some high school children as well, probably exam grades like gcses that kind of age group. he's also talking about nonessential shops opening, he did say "phased reopening" so it will be interesting if there's some clarity on that in the press conference and also,

our wales correspondent tomos morgan is at a school in penarth. take as to what is going on there.t— difficult this year. our home is a home, not a _ difficult this year. our home is a home, not a learning environment so we are _ home, not a learning environment so we are really— home, not a learning environment so we are really pleased our six—year—old is coming back today, he was _ six—year—old is coming back today, he was showered and dressed this morning _ he was showered and dressed this morning and sitting in his uniform, he was _ morning and sitting in his uniform, he wasiust— morning and sitting in his uniform, he wasjust so morning and sitting in his uniform, he was just so excited to see his friends _ he was just so excited to see his friends and _ he was just so excited to see his friends and all of that social interaction. the eight—year—old thinks — interaction. the eight—year—old thinks that he willjust have a sofa day and _ thinks that he willjust have a sofa day and he — thinks that he willjust have a sofa day and he has a house himself so they will_ day and he has