All children of key workers will be urged to go back to school from next week – with Year 6 youngsters expected to be first whole class back on June 1

One in five children will be urged to return to the classroom from next week as part of a gradual reopening of schools.

More than 1.7million pupils who are vulnerable or whose parents are key workers will be asked to go back.

Students in year six will be first full classes through the doors - potentially from June 1 - to help them prepare for the transition to high school.

Ministers will target later that week for a wider reopening of primary schools, before secondary schools allow pupils in years ten and 12 to return.

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The Government is now preparing to issue guidance that will instead encourage key workers to send their children to school

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Officials are looking at options including having classes in on alternate days or weeks to allow them to spread out

Michael Gove on 'phased approach' to lifting coronavirus lockdown

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Key workers have been entitled to keep sending their children to class throughout the lockdown, but when schools shut six weeks ago they were urged to look after them at home where possible.

The Government is now preparing to issue guidance that will instead encourage these parents to send their children to school.

Just one parent needs to be a key worker for their child to be eligible but parents will not be fined for not sending them in.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, which counsels the government, is targeting June 1 for all year six pupils to be sent back to lessons.

These children are seen as the priority to get back in class due to them transferring to secondary school in September.

A Whitehall source told the Guardian: 'The focus is getting primary school pupils back first but only if the R [a measure of how the virus is spreading] is at a safe level. After primary schools have returned we will then look at years 10 and 12.'   

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The UK announced 315 new coronavirus deaths on Sunday, bringing total fatalities to 28,446 and putting the country on course to become the hardest hit in Europe

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The 315 fatalities reported by the Department of Health is the fewest daily deaths recorded in over a month

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Michael Gove revealed the total number of cases jumped to 186,599 following an extra 4,339 positive tests

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The cabinet office minister said 76,496 tests had been performed yesterday, dipping below the 100,000 daily target set by the government