Most Wakefield parents do not want to send children back to school as teachers prepare new distancing regimes

In our lockdown survey for the city 45 per cent of people who responded said they would not be comfortable at all with sending their children back to school in early June and a further 18 per cent said they would not be very comfortable.

Seventeen per cent said they would be very comfortable and 16 per cent said they would be slightly comfortable.

The government advice that younger pupils should return to school next month has divided opinion.

But in the meantime schools are preparing as best they can to keep children and staff safe when they return.

At the junior school of Wakefield Girls’ High School headteacher Rachel Edwards is working on how social distancing measures can be enforced.

The plans are likely to include social distancing in playgrounds, staggered breaks and a one way walking system in and around corridors

She said: “It is a massive responsibility but we are putting things in place to minimise any risk.

“For me at this point in time I want to know what it will be like on the ground – we will have to see what it is like on a daily and weekly basis. For the children coming back it will be a massive change. They will think it will be like it was and it is not.”

Asked if she agreed with the June 1 date set to reopen schools, she said: “We have been given this deadline and we are taking all the measures we can to make sure it is workable and it is safe.”

Most school pupils have been working from home during lockdown while the children of some key workers are being taught in school. In our lockdown survey just 16 per cent of readers who responded said they were most looking forward to their children being back at school.

Seeing family, socialising with friends and enjoying the outdoors again were the things readers most looked forward to. And only 9 per cent said they were most worried about the impact of their child’s education. More than half said the wellbeing of friends and family was the most important thing.

Mrs Edwards said she was expecting large numbers of pupils to return as the restriction are gradually lifted.

She said: “At this point the large majority are coming back, which is very positive. The reassurance we have given is that we are following government guidelines and we have a commitment to keep the children and staff safe as possible.”