Schools in Wales will not open on June 1 First Minister Mark Drakeford has confirmed.
Speaking ahead of a press conference where he will outline how Wales could leave lockdown in the coming months Mr Drakeford said that while his Government was committed to getting children back into the classrooms, that is it would work with teaching unions to do it.
It comes as union leaders meet England's Chief Medical Officer amid an increasing row over the Government's reasons for reopening schools.
England is the only part of the UK asking schools to begin phased reopenings from the start of next month, raising fears among teachers' unions about the risks of infection from the coronavirus.
Mr Drakeford told Good Morning Britain: "We won't be bringing new cohorts of children back into schools on the 1st of June.
"We would like to bring some children back into school before the summer holiday if we could
"We would like to bring children in year 6 for example - going into secondary school, it's a big right of passage.
"If it is safe to do it, we would like to bring those children back together again before the holidays."
Mr Drakeford also highlighted the importance of winning trust before sending children back.
"We wanted to go on having a conversation with our teaching unions, with our education authorities, and with parents is really important."
He added: "You can open schools as much as you like if parents don't feel they will be safe to send them back to school, then there won't be children there anyway."
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the meeting with teaching unions was to discuss the "scientific advice underpinning our approach".
"The best place for youngsters to learn is in school and I have wanted to get more children back there as soon as possible," he wrote, saying while parents had done a good job in helping children learn, "nothing can take the place of a teacher".
But teaching unions have warned that any rushed return to school isn't safe for staff or pupils.
One union has even written to the councils to point out that teachers can legally refuse to return when schools reopen unless they get the same protections against coronavirus as other frontline staff.
In the letter, the NASUWT threatened to invoke legal action to defend teachers against being forced back into schools.
It said: “Stringent guidance has been issued for the NHS, for care homes and for employers across the UK. It is unacceptable that this has not been the case for schools.
“The NASUWT believes that teachers and other school staff have the right to the same consideration and protections, and to be confident that their health and welfare, as well as that of pupils, is at the heart of any planning for wider opening.”
