DfE asked to 'drop' considering having all pupils back before summer

The National Governance Association (NGA) has urged the government to review and drop its plans to have all primary children to return to school for a month before the summer holidays, in a letter to the Secretary of State for Education.

Under the current guidance, NGA says it is not practically possible to achieve this return in most schools and believes that this change in policy would provide certainty to school leaders, governing boards and parents, and relieve pressure on those having to make the very difficult decisions about how to keep pupils and staff safe.

The BBC conducted a snapshot survey of governors about their plans to reopen. Around three in four primary governors responded saying it is unlikely that all pupils will be able to return at all before the summer.

Emma Knights, chief executive of the National Governance Association, told the BBC: "Unless something dramatic changes very soon in terms of the government's scientific and medical advice, it will simply not be possible for primary schools to invite all pupils back for a whole month of education before the summer holidays," she told the BBC.

"Indeed many of them won't be able to invite all pupils back at all before the summer holidays...

"It is adding to uncertainty for parents, but also extra pressure on school leaders and governing boards who think that they need to try and do this when actually it wouldn't be safe."