���˿���

There are concerns that fully reopening schools in September will be impossible if the two metre social distancing rule is still in place.

Head teachers, academy bosses and governors have said schools may have to open part-time, with the pupils on a rota system.

Hamid Patel, who is in charge of an organisation which runs a group of education academies all over England, says that with two metres distancing in place, no more than half of secondary pupils could attend, and in some schools it would be lower.

He says there aren't not enough teachers or classrooms to accommodate the extra space needed when everyone is two metres apart.

Some school leaders say opening in a close-to-normal way might be possible if the distancing rule is changed from two metres to one metre. The World Health Organization says that a distance of one metre is safe and countries like France, China and Denmark have adopted that rule.

'Catching up'

Meanwhile, the prime minister said on Wednesday, that a "massive catch-up operation" in schools was needed over summer to help pupils who have missed lessons because of lockdown.

Boris Johnson said the catch-up would happen "over the summer and beyond" for pupils to get up to speed on the work they've missed.

He said details of the plans will be outlined next week by the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson.

The prime minister also said there will be "a very big plan" to get all schools open in September but didn't give any details.

Schools in England started to reopen for Reception Year 1 and Year 6 from 1 June with just 15 pupils in each class.

But not all schools are doing that yet and re-opening has been put back in some parts of the country.

Also hopes to get all primary children back to school before the summer holidays have been dropped.

Some MPs and experts have been calling for summer schools to be put in place, so that children can make up for lost ground.

Mr Williamson has made it clear that the summer schools won't be like normal school - and will reveal the plans next week.