Parents are being accused of falsely claiming to be key workers in a bid to get their kids into class during lockdown.

Mums and dads inundated Our Lady's Bishop Eton School in Liverpool with complaints, after seeing children allegedly from families with no key workers at school during a video lesson.

The school has said it had been "overwhelmed" with applications for on-site learning throughout the lockdown, which saw learning moved to remotely online for all children, except kids of key workers or who are vulnerable.

It comes as one headteachers' union reported 70% of their pupils' families had requested on-site teaching, higher than the initial lockdown, reports the Liverpool Echo.

NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said: "We’re increasingly concerned about the sheer demand for key worker and vulnerable pupil places this week.

"Our members are telling us that demand for places is much higher than it was during the first lockdown last spring.

"We’ve heard stories of some schools having 50 to 70 per cent.

"This could seriously undermine the impact of lockdown measures, and may even run the risk of extending school closures."

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The school said it had assessed parents' applications to the extent it was able and said those who complained had not provided enough concrete evidence to investigate further.

But parents across Liverpool are divided.

Under the current lockdown rules, parents can let their children attend school in person if they are key workers or the pupils are vulnerable children.

Only one parent needs to be a key worker for a child to attend school, and those without access to the appropriate technology can also learn on-site, Ministers confirmed on Wednesday.

Boris Johnson refused to guarantee all schoolchildren will be back in the classroom before the summer holidays.

He said he "hopes" schools will reopen fully in the spring, after the Covid jab programme has been under way.

Speaking at a press conference Tuesday he said: "On whether we can be absolutely sure schools can reopen – we think that with the vaccination programme we can do a huge amount to take the most vulnerable out of the path of this virus.

“That offers opportunities to do things differently.”

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