Schools in England will not be able to open after the half-term break next month but could begin to return from 8 March, the prime minister has said.
Boris Johnson said a final decision would depend on meeting vaccination targets and schools would get two weeks' notice.
He acknowledged the delay would be "frustrating" for pupils, teachers and parents.
There was no enough data yet to decide when to end the lockdown, he added.
Mr Johnson told the House of Commons he hoped other lockdown restrictions could begin to be gradually eased at some point after schools reopen, but pupils returning to class would be the "first sign of normality".
In the week of 22 February, the government would have more information on whether vaccines block transmission and how the vaccine will reduce hospitalisations and deaths, he said, allowing them to plan for the "gradual and phased" reopening.
Mr Johnson said schools needed a fortnight's notice to reopen after the government makes its decision.
Schools in England have only been open to those deemed vulnerable or to children of key workers since January, with primary and secondary schools offering remote learning for other pupils since then.
The prime minister said: "I know how frustrating that will be for pupils and teachers who want nothing more than to get back to the classroom - and for parents and for carers who spent so many months juggling their day jobs, not only with home schooling but meeting the myriad other demands of their children from breakfast until bedtime."
The government initially planned to review lockdown measures including school closures on 15 February, which had raised hopes that pupils could return to classes after half-term.
After complaints about confusion and drift about when schools in England are going back, Boris Johnson has sought to bring some certainty.
They won't be going back straight after half-term - but the target date will be 8 March.
That still leaves parents home schooling for another five weeks - and means most of this term will have been without face-to-face lessons.
This will be a particular worry for pupils heading for whatever replaces GCSEs and A-levels this summer, after almost a full year of stop-start lessons.
Head teachers say the delay is "no surprise" - and reopening must be done safely.
And Labour says half term should be used to vaccinate teachers to help schools stay open.
But the prime minister will hope that parents would rather have some clarity about what's happening with schools, even if that means a longer delay.
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2021-01-27 14:14:00Z
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