PRIMARY schools in Herefordshire are making decisions on when to reopen, with some of the biggest in the county hoping to reopen on Monday.

The Government will make a final decision later this afternoon on whether schools should reopen on June 1, but the Prime Minister has admitted “it may not be possible” for all of them to do so.

The intention is for early years’ settings and reception, year one, and year six pupils to return first but Boris Johnson said the Government was being “deliberately cautious” and that a final decision would be taken on Thursday as part of the formal review into the lockdown measures.

The Government’s guidance says primary school classes should normally be split in half, with no more than 15 pupils per group and one teacher, and children should be kept in the same groups all day due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Johnson said he expects “not everybody will go back” on day one of the phased reopening of schools next week, but insisted it is “safe provided everybody remembers the guidelines we’ve set out”, including social distancing and hand washing.

Here's what some of the biggest primary schools in the county are planning, but this is subject to change.

Lord Scudamore Primary Academy, Friars Street, Hereford

This is Herefordshire's biggest primary school in terms of pupil numbers with 661, but as part of the the Herefordshire Marches Federation of Academies, they will not be reopening on Monday.

Executive head Peter Box said that three out of four key conditions that needed to be met before reopening on June 1 had not yet been met.

The federation had previously said that Test, Track and Trace must be in place, that the five key tests stated by the government must be met in Herefordshire, that government must release data proving it was a safe strategy, and that the R number must remain below one.

However, in a letter sent home to parents yesterday (Wednesday), Mr Box said that only condition four has been met so far, with the effect of the easing of lockdown on the R number yet to be seen.

READ MORE: Academy federation will not reopen schools until key conditions met

Holmer CE Academy, Holmer Road, Hereford

The school had been planning to reopen sooner, but in a letter to parents yesterday (Wednesday) the school has postponed reopening to all Year R, one and six pupils for two weeks.

Headteacher Jayne Maund said: "These plans have progressed well and are designed to minimise the risk as far as is practically possible.

"However, there is still much debate about the wider reopening of schools from June 1. We have painstakingly considered various reports, data and information over the last few days, both local and national.

“We believe that decisions on school opening should be guided by evidence of low levels of Covid-19 within the community and the ability to rapidly respond to new infections through a local test, track and isolate strategy. There is no clear evidence that these conditions are met. Until they are it is not safe to open schools on June 1."

Ashfield Park Primary School, Redhill Road, Ross-on-Wye

Ashfield Park is planning to reopen on Monday for the four year groups outlined by Boris Johnson. A full risk assessment was carried out by the school and a shortened version sent home to parents.

Headteacher Steven Kendrick said the school, which has 384 pupils on roll, will reopen on Tuesday after staff had undergone training on June 1.

While children in reception class, year one and year six would return on Tuesday, those in nursery will return on June 8.

Among the measures being implemented will be one-way system for entering and exiting the school site. Plans are also in place should any pupils display systems, including PPE for staff and a deep-cleaning system for affected areas.

The school said pupils will spend more time than usual outside and should wear non-school uniform. They aren't, however, expecting the majority of pupils to return. A spokesperson for the school said that Year 6 will have around 30 per cent of pupils attending.

Hampton Dene Primary School, Church Road, Hereford

The school said that as long as the Government says it is safe to do so, they will reopen on Monday.

In a four-page letter to parents on Thursday, headteacher Elizabeth Kearns said the school, with 251 pupils on roll, will have staggered pick-up and drop-off times to maintain social distancing.

Pupils will be separated into smaller groups than their usual class sizes as part of a number of measures, and these groups will not mix.

Mrs Kearns said: These are very unusual times and school will be a very different place to what we have all been used to.

Reception, year one and year 6 will be allocated a group regardless of whether they attend school or not. I encourage families to make decisions whether to send their child to school based on their own circumstances.

"There will be no action taken against families who decide that now is not the right time for your child to return."

St Peter's Primary School, Cherry Tree Close, Bromyard

232 As per Government guidelines, St Peter's in Bromyard will prevent groups of students from mixing and each group will have their own designated indoor and outdoor space.

In the most recent letter to parents, the school said for the ongoing reassurance that safety measures are maintained and closely

adhered to, senior leaders will "monitor all risk assessments daily, updating staff and families when guidelines develop".

The school in Bromyard, with 232 pupils on roll, has given parents who wish their children to return to school on June 1 a time to enter and exit the school to limit risk.