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Groups of students should only be sent home if there has been a positive test, rather than someone simply developing symptoms, the prime minister said.
Boris Johnson said it was important for teachers and parents to review Public Health England’s guidance on coronavirus tests.
Speaking to MPs on the Liaison Committee, he reiterated government policy when he said: “The reasons for sending such a class home, or a bubble home, would be if someone tests positive.”
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It comes when a teacher union leader warned that schools are struggling to cope with the lack of COVID-19 examinations for students and staff, as the situation is “increasingly out of control”.
Dr. Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT teachers union, has called on the government to prioritize the education sector for test assignments in light of the widespread challenges.
And the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said it has received 264 responses from schools and universities in recent days, where leaders have said they have symptomatic staff and / or students who have difficulty accessing tests.
Johnson admitted the general demand for Testing in England has “sped up tremendously” in the last two weeks and there is not enough capacity to handle it.
It said it was aiming for daily testing capacity to reach 500,000 by the end of October.
The prime minister insisted: “We have greatly increased our testing capacity. I know that many people have had exasperating experiences, and I sympathize with them.
“89% get their results within 24 hours, if they take a test in person.
“And the distance you have to travel to get tested has just dropped in the last week. On average, from about six or seven miles to about five miles.”
The prime minister also told MPs that the government “very soon” will establish “the priority of groups that we believe should have evidence.”
He added: “In schools, it is very important that parents and teachers see the guide on when to take a test.”
Attorney General Robert Buckland told Sky News’s Kay Burley that school children and their parents could be prioritized for coronavirus testing – after hospitals and residences – as the government faces “real challenges” in the system.
The government has come under increasing pressure from the unavailability of tests in some areas, attributed to problems with the laboratory’s capacity, and admitted it could take a while. “matter of weeks” to solve the problems.
Currently, anyone showing symptoms of coronavirus can undergo an NHS test, as well as those who have been asked by a hospital or city hall to get tested.
Johnson said he did not want a second national lockdown as it would likely have “disastrous” financial consequences for the UK and “we are going to do everything in our power to prevent it.”
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The UK has recorded 20 more deaths of people with confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to government figures.
Had 3,991 new daily confirmed cases of coronavirus, compared with 3,105 on Tuesday, the figures show.
That means there have been 41,684 deaths in total, according to official figures.
Meanwhile, hours of operation at the most widely used COVID-19 community testing site in Lancashire are being reduced with immediate effect.
The facility in downtown Burnley, no reservation required, was open seven days a week from 10 am to 3 pm but will now be closed on Thursdays and Fridays.
And the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs hospitals in the Middlesbrough area, said it has had young people waiting to get tested.
In a statement, Julie Suckling, manager of emergency medicine services, said: “We have seen an increase in the number of children and young people attending our emergency department and requesting a coronavirus test. Anyone requiring a test should follow the instructions on the government website. “
