Plans to fully reopen primary schools set to be dropped today

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson will address the Commons today on the wider opening of schools (Pictures: Getty)

Plans for primary schools to reopen to pupils from all year groups before the summer are set to be scrapped today.

The Department for Education said it had remained the ‘ambition’ for all younger pupils children to return to the classroom before the holidays.

But Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is expected to tell the Commons today that the plan is no longer ‘feasible’.

Boris Johnson will speak with his Cabinet on Tuesday morning before Mr Williamson delivers a statement to Parliament on the wider reopening of schools.

A teacher instructs Year 6 pupils with others participating by video conference at the College Francais Bilingue De Londres French-English bilingual school in north London (Picture: Getty)

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He is anticipated to say that primary schools will no longer be expected to open up to all year groups with just a month to go before the summer holidays.

The government’s ‘ambition’ had been for primary pupils to get a month’s worth of tuition before the long break ‘if feasible’.

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But given the difficulties in getting three priority year groups back last week, ministers are thought to have accepted it cannot be done safely, according to The Times.

A senior source at the Department for Education told The Sun: ‘Some schools don’t have enough space – we have always said we will listen to schools so we are likely to step back a bit on that.

‘Some schools are bigger so are able to split kids up. But we understand not all will be able to do this.’

Mr Williamson will also update ministers on how many primary pupils have returned to the classroom.

In a reception classroom, children sit apart from each other on a carpet where crosses have been marked out (Picture: Getty)

Year 6 pupils from Landywood Primary School line up after break on distance markings in Staffordshire (Picture: Xinhua/Rex)

The Health Secretary conceded yesterday that secondary schools in England may not fully reopen in September ‘at the earliest’.

Matt Hancock said ‘it is clear that coronavirus is in retreat right across the country’ after the number of deaths fell to the lowest reported number since the beginning of lockdown.

Children in England began returning in a phased process last week, with Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils heading back first.

Secondary schools are set to bring back pupils in years 10 and 12 from June 15.

But Mr Hancock acknowledged older pupils in other year groups could still face months without attending class.

He said: ‘That is our current working plan, is that secondary schools won’t open until September at the earliest.’

Secondary schools are not expected to reopen until September ‘at the earliest’ (Picture: Stuart Walker/SWNS)

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Meanwhile, thousands of pupils and teachers across England will be swab tested to monitor the spread of the disease as classes resume.

With approval from parents and guardians, children will be tested to see whether they have Covid-19 or have had an infection in the past under the surveillance programme.

Mr Hancock is aiming to have up to 100 schools tested across England by the end of the summer term, with around 200 staff and children involved at each of those schools.

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