Primary schools to reopen ‘in phases’ from June but secondaries will remain shut until at least September

PRIMARY schools will reopen in ­phases from June, however, children at second­aries will not return until at least September.

Nurseries, reception year children, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils will be the first to return after the May half term, Boris Johnson said last night.

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

The Prime Minister said the move would be stopped if the “R” reproduction rate of coronavirus was too high.

The Government wants to get all primary pupils back by the summer holidays.

Early year pupils are seen as especially important as they are currently at a key learning stage.

Ministers also want to help their parents get back to work.

Pupils in Year 6 are also at a crucial stage of learning, they add, as this will be their final term before they start secondary school.

• Urged Brits to get back to work if they can’t from home
• Revealed Brits would be allowed to sunbathe in parks and play unlimited sport from Wednesday - and can go on day trips
• Said anyone coming into the country by air would be forced to quarantine
• Schools will start going back from June - but only if the infection level is low enough
• But he warned that pubs, cinemas and mass gatherings would be off the cards for months to come

Mr Johnson said secondary school pupils will not be seeing the classroom until September.

Year 10 and 12 pupils will be able to get limited face-to-face time with teachers to support their home learning ahead of GCSE and A-level exams next year.

They will be able to go through concerns or questions they have and they are the only two years that will get any contact time with teachers before the next academic year.

The Government sees them as the most important in secondary schools because they represent “transition” years.

All schools set to reopen before the summer holidays will be asked to put in place arrangements to limit contact between pupils over the next three weeks in readiness for the possible June 1 deadline.

But Mr Johnson insisted in his address to the nation that flexibility will be needed in order to respond to the changing threat level of the virus — and all decisions on moving to the next phase will depend on the “R” rate.

He said: “Every day, with ever increasing data, we will be monitoring the R and the number of new infections, and the progress we are making, and if we as a nation begin to fulfil the conditions I have set out, then in the next few weeks and months we may be able to go further.

“In Step Two, at the earliest by June 1 — after half term — we believe we may be in a position to  . . .  get primary pupils back into schools, in stages, beginning with reception, Year 1 and Year 6.

“Our ambition is that secondary pupils facing exams next year will get at least some time with their teachers before the holidays.

“And we will shortly be setting out detailed guidance on how to make it work in schools.”

However, the PM's plan has not gone down well with teaching unions, with one leader branding it 'reckless'.

Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: "We think that the announcement by the Government that schools may reopen from June 1 with reception and years one and six is nothing short of reckless.

"Coronavirus continues to ravage communities in the UK and the rate of Covid-19 infection is still far too great for the wider opening of our schools," she said.

Dr Bousted urged the Government to meet tests set out by unions, which includes extra money for deep cleaning and personal protective equipment and local powers to close schools if clusters of infections break out.

GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk