Boris Johnson 'will put pressure on BBC over fee' says expert

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Monday marks the first step out of lockdown, as schools across the country get ready to welcome back pupils. All school years are expected back in class, with attendance mandatory. However, secondary schools have been told that they can stagger the return of school years over the first week – to allow for Covid testing.

Students will be tested three times a week for Covid in the first two weeks of school.

Thereafter, they will receive two tests a week, which they can use at home.

To facilitate the process, the Government has delivered nearly 57 million lateral flow testing kits to schools and colleges.

The tests involve taking a swab of the nose and throat.

The sample is then inserted into a tube of liquid and gives a result within 30 minutes.

However, Mr Johnson’s plans have been criticised by the UK’s largest education union.

Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said the Government had failed to put in place adequate safety measures.

She claimed that teachers had struggled to obtain parental consent for testing and said the Government should do more to reassure and persuade parents.

“Ministers had two months to make schools and colleges safer but failed to put the necessary measures in place to achieve this,” she said.

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The Prime Minister stressed that the Government was following a cautious approach to easing lockdown “so that we do not undo the progress we have made so far”.

The next phase out of lockdown is scheduled for March 29, when outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed.

If things continue to go according to plan, by June 21 all restrictions could be lifted.

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