A decision on whether schools in England will return next month is likely to be made this week, Downing Street has hinted.
The decision will not have an impact on timings in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The PM’s spokesman said: “You can see from the discussions that have been taking place that we have been seeking to resolve this as soon as we can.”
He said the Government continues to “want to work with schools in order to get more children back into an education setting”.
“We are now past the peak of the virus and so it is right that we plan for the first phase of a controlled and careful return of some year groups from June 1 at the earliest.
“As we have always said, safety comes first, but we must also be aware of the potential damage to a child’s education from not getting them back in the classroom.”
The plan is tat Years 1, 6 and Reception in primary schools will return first with strict new social distancing and hygiene measures in place.
