Ministers are pushing for schools to reopen in June so pupils can return to classrooms

Schools could begin reopening in June under plans for a ‘cautious’ easing of lockdown restrictions.

Whitehall sources told the Daily Mail that ministers want a partial reopening of schools after the summer half-term at the end of May.

This is seen as the earliest possible date for easing restrictions and could result in many children going back to school in early June for the first time in more than two months.

But sources cautioned that a full reopening will take longer. As a first step, ministers are looking at focusing on key groups – such as those taking exams next year – or bringing a wider group of children back part time.

The Government is under pressure to reopen schools to prevent damage to children’s education and to allow more parents to go back to work.

But a Whitehall source said official analysis produced for ministers found that a full opening of schools now would immediately drive up the so-called ‘R rate’ which measures how quickly the virus is spreading. This would undo much of the progress achieved by the lockdown and will risk a second wave of infection.

‘The analysis is that opening schools now would be enough to drive the R rate above one, even if you left the rest of the lockdown in place,’ the source said.

‘Then you have the virus spreading exponentially again. So it’s a non-starter now but the hope is things will look better by [May] half-term. Nothing is fixed but that’s the earliest you could look at.’

The revelation came as No 10 confirmed ministers are adopting a cautious approach to easing the lockdown because of the risk of a deadly second peak of infections.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters: ‘The big concern is a second peak.

‘That is what ultimately will do the most damage to health and the most damage to the economy.

‘If you move too quickly then the virus could begin to spread exponentially again. The public will expect us to do everything we can to stop the spread of the virus and protect lives.’

Chancellor Rishi Sunak yesterday weighed in publicly behind the strategy, saying the lockdown would not be lifted until there was ‘no risk of a second peak’. However behind the scenes, Mr Sunak has been the most senior minister pushing for an easing of restrictions in order to reduce the damage to the economy.

But yesterday he indicated that he accepted that allowing a return to more normal life too early could cause even greater hardship.

Decisions on the next stage of the lockdown will be based on advice from Sage – the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies – which is due by the end of the month. When asked whether the restrictions could be modified rather than lifted entirely, the PM’s spokesman said: ‘If you move too quickly, lifting the social distancing measures wholesale, then that could lead to the virus spreading exponentially again.’

Downing Street yesterday confirmed that Boris Johnson is still convalescing at his country retreat Chequers in Buckinghamshire. He is receiving daily updates but is not yet working. He held talks with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and his senior aides on Friday but is not involved in day-to-day decision making.

These decisions are still being led by a ‘quad’ of senior ministers comprised of Mr Raab, Mr Sunak, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove and Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Education sources last night insisted there was still no fixed date for the reopening of schools.

One source said Education Secretary Gavin Williamson was clear that any move had to be driven by the science and that teachers and parents had to be given sufficient notice of any mass return to the classroom.

The source also pointed out that schools are already doing a ‘brilliant job’ caring for the children of key workers, including during what should have been the Easter holidays.

Children in Scottish state schools could be returning to the classroom during the summer break after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday refused to rule out opening schools.

Meanwhile more than a quarter of a million lessons were accessed online yesterday on the first day of the national virtual classroom Oak National Academy. The learning hub provides a plan of daily lessons and resources for teachers and parents.