Worried parents are expected to keep at least a million eligible primary pupils at home today as schools allow more children to go back to classes.
That is around half of those in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 who could return under lockdown easing – in a major blow to Boris Johnson 's hopes of getting back to normal before the summer break.
And headteachers predicted more than one in five teachers will be forced to work from home due to health conditions, their age or having vulnerable family members.
The school-or-no-school division across the country became apparent yesterday as the Prime Minster was criticised over shambolic planning – with ministers producing a blueprint for reopening schools on May 12 and then changing it 41 times.