Parents dropping children off at school may be asked to provide evidence they are a key worker amid concerns more pupils than expected could turn up on Monday.
Teachers are expecting "challenging conversations" at the schoolgates if parents bring their children to school when they have an alternative means of ensuring they are looked after.
The Department of Education has said parents must keep their children at home unless their job in on the list of critical workers key to the response to Covid-19 and they have no other childcare optons.
If required, schools are able to ask for “simple evidence that the parent in question is a critical worker, such as their work ID badge or pay slip”.