Would your child be safer at home? Safety concerns over plans to re-open Blackpool schools to more pupils

Unions have urged the government to “step back” from its target of June 1 for getting more pupils back in classrooms.

While “robust and vigilant” measures will be put in place to allow more pupils to return from June 8, she added: “I am unable to guarantee that social distancing measures will always be possible.”

It comes after Carr Head Primary School, in Poulton, warned parents it may not be able to re-open at the start of next month.

A letter to parents said the school would not “knowingly put members of the school community at risk”.

In her letter, which is published on the Moor Park website, Mrs Magson said a deep clean of the school would be carried out, meaning the school will be closed to all pupils from June 1 to 8.

She said the school would operate in a “very different” way to normal once it re-opens, with staggered breaks, a reduced curriculum and social distancing measures in place.

She added: “This information is not intended to cause you alarm but merely to highlight some of the changes that will have to be implemented to go some way to protect everyone in our school community from this highly contagious virus.”

She asks parents to consider several questions before sending them back to school, including “Will my child be safer at home?”

The letter adds, in bold text: “Remember this is an offer for your child to attend school, it is NOT compulsory. If you feel your child would be safer at home with you at this uncertain time then we will completely respect your decision. There will be no fines or penalties for not attending school at this time.”

It comes as a joint statement, from organisations including the NAHT school leaders’ union and the National Education Union, says: “We all want schools to reopen, but that should only happen when it is safe to do so.

“The Government is showing a lack of understanding about the dangers of the spread of coronavirus within schools, and outwards from schools to parents, sibling and relatives, and to the wider community.”

Education secretary Gavin Williamson said: “When you have medical and scientific advice that is saying it’s the right time to start bringing schools back in a phased and controlled manner, it seems only the right thing to do and the only responsible thing to do.”

But he acknowledged that allowing pupils to return to school would be “challenging”.

Mr Williamson said: “We continue to follow the best medical and scientific advice and believe that this phased return is the most sensible course of action to take.”