New government guidance says that a single case of coronavirus in a school could mean an entire year group being sent home. New advice, published late on the Friday before schools return next week, outline a number of contingency plans for a "worst-case scenario".
They include a "rota system" limiting the number of pupils going to secondary schools at any one time in local lockdown zones.
Teachers and students may need to wear face coverings in communal areas, the guidance confirms. Labour has slammed the timing of the announcement late on Friday before a bank holiday weekend, saying it "beggars belief".
The new guidance comes as Boris Johnson reiterated his view that getting kids back is Britain's "most important task" and he insisted