Boris Johnson confirms primary schools WILL open on June 1 with some secondary pupils back in following weeks

THE Prime Minister ordered primary schools to reopen their gates from June 1 in a surprise announcement on Sunday.

But critics said the announcement was an attempt to shift the spotlight away from the Dominic Cummings row.

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Boris Johnson said returning kids to their classrooms is crucial for their “health, welfare and long term future”.

But he admitted it may “not be possible” for all to reopen by the start of the month.

Secondaries will start reopening a fortnight later, on June 15, so Year 10 and Year 12 can have “some contact” to help prepare for GCSEs and A-levels, he said.

Boris sprung the news at Sunday's press conference after allegations Mr Cummings, the PM’s senior adviser, broke the lockdown twice, prompting calls for him to step down or be sacked.

Critics accused the Government of resorting to a “dead cat strategy” — a shock announcement to deflect away from bad news. The PM said Britain will be easing the lockdown and moving to “step two”.

He said: “As part of step two we set out plans for a phased reopening of schools, because the education of our children is crucial for their welfare, their health, for their long term future, and for social justice.

“So in line with the approach being taken in many other countries, we want to start getting our children back into the classroom in a way that is as manageable and as safe as possible.”

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But Mr Johnson conceded the date may slip for some, amid warnings by dozens of councils that they will not be able to reopen by the deadline.

He said: “I acknowledge that the June 1 opening may not be possible for all schools.

“But the Government will continue to support and work with the sector so that any schools experiencing difficulties are able to open more widely as soon as possible.”

The Association of School and College Leaders — which represents head teachers — welcomed the acknowledgment that not all primary schools will be able to start back up on June 1.

But its general secretary Geoff Barton said the Government “has not done a good job in building confidence in its plans”.

He said: “It has not communicated the rationale for its chosen approach well, and it left primary schools with little time to plan and implement safety protocols.

“It is doubtful that any part of the education sector has ever been asked to do so much in so little time.

“We would ask everybody to recognise the immensely difficult circumstances and to respect the decisions made by schools.”

Earlier in the day, Sir Michael Wilshaw, the former head of Ofsted, warned the schools shutdown risks creating a “lost generation of youngsters”. Sir

Michael suggested schools could stay open through the summer holidays and at weekends to help schoolchildren catch up.

He said: “It is a great tragedy because our education system has made huge progress over the last few years and the results published last year show that.”

Sir Michael said children have “regressed” during the lockdown. He added: “It is the responsibility of schools and head teachers, when this thing is over and lockdown ceases and they get the full school cohort in, to really show that recovery programmes are put into place.

“That might mean working with whole years and it might mean weekend work with examination students.”