Schools could reopen in June after the summer half-term in a "staggered" approach to ending the coronavirus lockdown. Most pupils have not been allowed to return to schools which were closed on March 20 - with the exception of those with key worker parents.
But Whitehall officials are now hoping that students in key years groups could return to lessons in early summer, according to reports.
A senior Government source told The Telegraph yesterday: “It would be better if they could come back after the half-term break in the summer, but of course that does have to be led by the science. “Even if they did come back you would need to have social distancing, and that is hard to do in a class of 30.