Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 students will return to school first in ‘gradual reopening’

In a speech tonight, he said primary school students would be the first to return, no later than next month if the conditions are met.

He said: ‘In step two, no later than June 1, after the midterm, we believe that we may be in a position to begin the gradual reopening of the stores and bring primary school students to schools, in stages, beginning with the reception, Year 1 and Year 6.

‘Our ambition is that high school students who take tests next year will have at least some time with their teachers before the holidays.

“We will shortly be presenting a detailed guide on how to make it work in schools and shops and on transportation.”

He said this was conditional on people observing social distancing rules and disease transmission being under control.

However, one director expressed concern about how social distancing could be managed, particularly with younger children.

Bryony Baynes, principal at Kempsey Elementary School, said: “I am a bit stunned. I understand that we need to start to feel back to normal, and I understand that a big part of getting back to normal is getting the school back up and running. However, how can we manage the social distance between reception and first-year students when most of them are between four and five years old?

‘Boris made a very general statement tonight and then he left and all my parents will now ask for details.

“I don’t know how to handle that and I don’t know how to get the reception class to school and keep them safe.”

In a video statement, Welsh Prime Minister Mark Drakeford emphasized that the council “had not changed in Wales.”

He said schools in Wales would not “return to normal” on June 1.