Education bosses say they believe most of Leicestershire’s primary schools will be ready to start accepting more children back next week, as lockdown is eased.
The Government has said it wants schools, which have been shut to all pupils except the children of key workers since March, to begin accepting Reception Year One and Year Six pupils from June 1.
Governors and headteachers at 223 county primaries have been working on plans to be able to run them safely and restrict the potential spread of coronavirus with the aim of keeping pupils and staff as safe as possible.
Leicestershire County Council, the local education authority, has been helping each school with risk assessments and officials have told LeicestershireLive they expect most of the schools to be ready to take back pupils at some point either next week or in the week from June 1.
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Whether pupils return to school will be the choice of their parents or carers with the county council stressing there will be no sanctions if they choose to keep their children at home.
Officials say they expect just over a third of the pupils from Years One, Six and Reception, who could return to actually do so - a similar figure to that in the city of Leicester where many parents have expressed concerns about sending their children back.
A County Hall spokesman said: “Preparation for wider opening will be undertaken by the headteacher and senior colleagues taking account of guidance on protective measures.
“Relevant bodies, such as local authorities, academy trusts or governing bodies, depending on the school type, retain responsibility for key decisions and plans will be confirmed with them, particularly risk assessments of the school opening more widely, before pupils and staff return.
Councillor Ivan Ould, cabinet member for children and families, said: “We want children to go back to school as soon as it is safe to do so.
"In line with the DfE guidance, schools will make decisions on an individual basis, following a risk assessment, about how and when this will happen and the local authority will provide support and advice where needed.
“We know that a number of schools across Leicestershire are planning to open to wider groups of pupils from 1st June onwards, based on plans informed by risk assessments and when school leaders and governors are satisfied that all necessary steps have been taken to make them as safe as possible for children, families and staff.
“In line with the DfE guidance, the local authority will not commence attendance enforcement proceedings if parents elect for their children not to return to school during this period.”
