Education Secretary Gavin Williamson ‘pushing to re-open schools in May’ over fears for kids’ education

The Education Secretary is said to be concerned about the impact on children's chances in life, and fears the poor and vulnerable will be left behind if schools remain closed into late May thanks to coronavirus.

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Ministers had planned for one in five pupils to stay in class yet only two per cent did.

At the moment schools are only open for the parents of key workers, and others are expected to have their kids at home with them.

A Government source said of Mr Williamson: "He’s Education Secretary – he’d, of course, prefer schools to be open. But it’s not his choice.

"He is worried about all children and how they are going to do. There is no replacement for children going along to classes under the supervision of teachers who know them.

"However, schools will only be opened when it is safe to do so."

Another source said: “If you’re Gavin, you know there are a load of kids not getting free school meals, [suffering] malnutrition or suffering child abuse.”

It was suggested by an expert UCL study that closing schools would not have had a significant impact on the spread of coronavirus, prompting discussion about reopening schools.

Nine in ten students worldwide - more than 1.5billion youngsters - are currently out of school because of coronavirus.

The decision to close the nation's schools last month was the toughest of his political career, Mr Williamson said last week.

He told the Express and Star: ";In my heart I know that it was the right thing to do."

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Schools will remain closed until further notice, except for children of critical workers and the children who are most vulnerable. We will re-open schools when the scientific advice indicates it is safe to do so.

"Teachers and school staff are an essential part of our fight against coronavirus.

"We will continue to work with the sector to ensure they receive the support they need over the challenging weeks and months ahead.”

Government sources said last night that the prospect of lockdown restrictions being eased later this week was "zero".

Ministers are discussing whether to end the lockdown around the first bank holiday on 8 May - or wait until the second day off on May 25.

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Over the weekend former Bank of England governor Lord King demanded an end to the restrictions - and said that schools should be reopened as a first step.

He told Sky's Ridge on Sunday: "If we can allow schools, young people, some businesses to start up, while maintaining social distancing then I think we achieve our objectives, but it's bound to be a process of trial and error."

Meanwhile, children's commissioner Anne Longfield has said that schools should consider opening in some form over the six-week summer holidays to help children catch up with the curriculum – and to provide childcare for families who need to get back to work.

She said: "It would be really valuable, if the scientific advice says they can, to have schools consider opening in some form over the summer holidays to help children learn and catch up but also to offer them a safe place to play and socialise with friends.

"It would also provide vital childcare for families who need to get their incomes back up as they, hopefully, return to work.”

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Teachers, however, are likely to regard the summer break as non-negotiable.

Last week the Department for Education announced a package of support for schools to help them continue to look after kids.

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