Staff prepare UK schools ahead of June 1 reopening

David Waugh is busy spraying yellow distance lines on the ground right outside his primary school's main door.

Waugh, who oversees a group of five schools near Manchester, England, has already put up yellow arrows all around the school to ensure children follow a one-way system.

Increasing the distance between desks is one of the measures adopted by the school to assure children's safety.

Other measures include wearing face masks and using hand sanitizers to help maintain a safe environment in the school.

Since March 20, the coronavirus pandemic has forced British schools to close doors to all but a small number of key workers' children and those under social care.

The government wants children to start returning to primary schools in a phased manner from June 1, and those going back will include the youngest, four to six-year-olds.

Waugh is planning to split students into "mini school" zones, each with their separate entrances, daily timetables and play areas.

"The key measures that we are putting in place is around the social distancing of young people to exist in separate social bubbles if you like, that the children and adults will exist in groups of no more than 15, in the older age groups that will be in groups of no more than eight and on a day-to-day basis, the twain shall not meet," said Waugh.

The move to open schools has faced vehement opposition from teachers' unions, which argue it's far too risky for school staff, the children and their families, as well as potentially triggering a spike in COVID-19 infection in the community.

Parents are understandably worried, and across the country many are nervously texting each other the same question: "Are you sending your child back?"

Waugh believes his measures will make it safe for both children and school staff.

"It's more than feasible for us to do that safely as long as we do it slowly and consulting the unions and our staff and our parents and importantly the children themselves," he said.

Previously, at Lostock Hall Primary School four students from year six classroom, sat together around a double desk, but in future each pupil will occupy a separate desk.

"The children will come in one door, per pod of children, they'll go out that door, they won't mix, they'll have to go around the outside to access toilets and things like that. School meal times, they'll have their lunch delivered to the classroom", said year six teacher Jane Cooper.

Unions have also insisted that officials need to publicly show the scientific evidence based on which their decisions are being made.

They also emphasis on the importance of an operational tracking and tracing system for those infected, which is supposed to be launched later this month.

Teaching union NASUWT says a poll of 29,000 members suggested that only 5% of teachers think it will be safe for more students to return to school next month.

Other unions have told members not to engage with planning for an early June opening.

Simon Kennedy, spokesperson for NASUWT said the school opening has to be done in a secure and safe manner.

"You know the medical evidence from SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) is only being produced today (Thursday). Schools won't have had time to analyse that to actually determine whether their risk assessments that they are putting in place are sufficient to protect the children and the teachers and until that happens we don't think schools should open," Kennedy said.

Waugh disagrees and believes it is vital to reopen schools as soon as possible and as safely as possible for the sake of the children's health and education.

"Schools are the beating heart and the central aspect of community. Often for a lot of young people school is the most stable, the most friendly, the most empowering and celebratory thing they have in their lives and that's what we need to get back to," he said.