The government has outlined its plan to phase children's return to nurseries and primary schools from next month.

And while the move towards some sort of normality has been welcomed by some, it has also sparked huge concern among parents, grandparents and those working in education and childcare settings.

Providing the rate of coronavirus transmission remains low, Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed on Sunday that schools will reopen on June 1, with Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 classes the first to go back.

Nurseries and childminders can also reopen from that date and older pupils in Year 10 and 12, who have key exams next year, have been told to prepare for 'some face to face contact' with their secondary school and college teachers.

Its wider plan is to get all primary school children back in for a month before the summer holidays, but again it's dependent on the transmission rate and how well it goes with the first intake.

It's been a controversial move by the government, particularly as it's a different stance to Scotland, Wales and Ireland, where schools remain closed for the foreseeable.

While some families aren't able to let their children back in for health reasons, others simply don't want to and believe the risks are too high.

Teachers aren't happy about it either, with many saying they feel unable to provide a safe environment for themselves and their pupils.

Here we take a look at some of the people affected by the reopening of schools and how they feel about the decision.

Shielding family

Mum Maria Davies is still undergoing treatment for breast cancer and as such is in the most vulnerable shielding category.

Having her final dose of radiotherapy this week and on immunotherapy until September, the last thing she wants is any added risk of contracting coronavirus.

With nine-year-old daughter Faith in Year 4 and four-year-old Skyla in Reception, it's Skyla's class who could be returning from June 1. But with Maria still vulnerable, she won't be able to go in anyway.

"I took my children out of school even before we were told to do so, so my children won’t be returning to school anytime soon," said Maria.

"My youngest is in Reception and is so desperate to go back to school, but that’s purely because she wants to hug and see her friends and don’t think at four she would understand the social distance in a school environment.

"She really loves hugs from the teachers and I wouldn’t want her to feel she can’t hug her friends or teachers and interact like they should be doing."

The 38-year-old hairdresser, from Newton, Hyde, added: "I feel bad because I’m high risk but I feel the risk is a lot higher to me and other vulnerable people.

"Neither of my girls will be returning until we see numbers drop dramatically or a vaccine.

"It’s really worrying because there’s always going to be that one person until a vaccine comes. And with still being on cancer treatment I just can’t take any chances.

"I have to protect me my family and the public by doing my bit I think it’s safer to have the children home with me."

Vulnerable child

Mum Emily Dixon's son is in Reception and also among the group expected to return first next month.

But because she has a younger child with a heart defect, he too will be kept at home.

Emily, a key worker, says she and her husband, who's been working from home throughout the pandemic, don't want to send their son back until they can be sure it is safe for all of them.

She said: "My son's in Reception, he's four nearly five and my daughter is two and and is prone to catching anything and everything, particularly tonsillitis and respiratory infections that she has for several weeks at a time.

"Since lockdown our immuno suppressed daughter has never been so well. Neither of us want to send our son back until we know it's safe.

"If they do reopen, which I doubt they will as after bank holiday I'm expecting another wave of deaths, he won't be going back until at least September."

Children in different year groups

Gemma Hanks has one child in Year 6, who could be expected to start back in June.

But with two other younger children at home, she feels they would all be safer staying put.

"I would love my son to go back, but I will still have two of my children staying at home.

"There are two classes at our school so that's 60 children. How is the social distancing going to work if Reception, Year 1 and 6 go back?

"Kids pick so many bugs up from schools, they are going to be coming back home to us, I just can't see a way round this."

Classrooms have mostly been empty during the pandemic

Grandparent

Many grandparents will also be hugely affected by the decision to reopen schools.

Maureen Breese is one of many grandparents who step in and help with childcare and the school pick-up.

"Children back at school means parents back at work and grandparents picking up from school, you can only guess what comes next," she said.

"My daughter will have to work because she's a teacher, so I have to collect from school and look after the youngest.

"I feel restarting schools in June is too early, I think September is a far safer option.

"One of my daughters is a teacher of reception and Year 1 children and with classes of 30 children, to have social distancing would be near on impossible - both in space and in the behaviour of this age group towards their peers and teachers. They need cuddles.

"My granddaughter is presently in reception and we would not be happy for her to be in school at this time."

Many grandparents will be affected by the decision to reopen schools

Teachers

Teaching staff are understandably concerned about children returning to school, with many saying any form of social distancing does not work in the classroom or the playground.

Even with the new government guidance saying schools can abandon the two-metre physical distancing rule in favour of keeping children in small groups - around half the size of normal primary school classes - many feel unable to offer a safe environment.

Teaching assistant Louise told Manchester Family her mental health is now being affected because she is 'scared to go to work'.

She said: "I am extremely concerned. Boris said the schools will go back so that people can go back to work not, for education, which means we are all babysitting but with a twist. The twist is an invisible killer that can not be controlled with 4-6 year olds.

"It was my turn to go into work three weeks ago and we had two bottles of hand gel for two classrooms and staffroom."

She is worried about the impact of telling children to keep apart and constantly telling them to wash their hands.

"Gov.uk have updated their guidelines for working in child settings and basically say no protection is necessary just hand washing," she said. "It’s like sending us all, including the kids, to a war zone without helmets or weapons to protect us.

"We will need to keep telling these children to step back too, imagine the impact on their self esteem us not wanting them near us. Pencils are chewed, whole hands are sucked while listening to stories sometimes, ADHD and autistic children become very agitated when being told to wash hands all the time, also some children have sensory problems which affects their ability to wash hands.

"There is no way Reception children will have the education they had before because the shared areas were always sensory, they don’t sit at tables unless it’s a writing or maths table. Yr1 similar. Bearing in mind, most of Europe don’t have children going to school until yr 2 anyway. The safest place for all the children is at home! Safe for them, their families and all adults in school."

Teacher Amanda Turner

Teacher Amanda Turner was a school leader for eight years, but has recently returned to classroom teaching and is unconvinced that the measures being suggested will make for a safe environment.

She said: "If I’m honest, from what I have read it seems that the only advice they can offer is to segregate groups of children from one another whilst on the premises - which I understand in theory, but question in reality.

"Where are they going to get the additional space and staff from? Our classrooms would hold a maximum of eight children at 2m desk distances. Their suggestion of outdoor learning is great if the sun is shining, and you have the space, but what happens on wet days or with those schools without suitable grounds?

"The idea that we can stop primary aged children, particularly EYFS and KS1, sharing resources and toys, and keep them away from one another during transition is a totally unrealistic.

"I feel the suggestions present a logistical nightmare for school leaders and one that I think could inevitably put the children and school staff at risk."

She says another issue for teachers is the number of staff returning to work when many pupils will still be at home and needing work and resources.

"It also raises the question of what we do about remote learning of the other four year groups, when the teaching workforce returns to school and they don’t," said Amanda.

Teachers' union

Teaching unions have rejected the plans for the phased reopening of schools in England as 'wildly optimistic to the point of being irresponsible'.

Teachers in Manchester support that view and say a 'lack of any detailed guidance as to how schools can reopen safely' is adding to their anxiety.

Jac Casson, of Greater Manchester's national executive members for the teachers' union NASUWT, said the Prime Minister's speech on Sunday 'generated much confusion and failed to address members' questions about the reopening of schools'.

She said: "Members are concerned by the lack of explanation as to why the government believes it is safe for schools to reopen to some year groups from 1 June. Particularly in light of the situation in the rest of the UK, where the devolved governments have been clear that schools will not be reopening from 1 June because of the continued threat of transmission of Covid-19.

"Our members want to know what makes it is safe for some children and staff in English schools to return when it isn't safe for them to do so in Wales, for example. They also want to know the rationale behind the government's choice of Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children being the ones to return, particularly when many of our members have expressed their concerns about young children and social distancing."

Ms Casson said the union will continue to push the government for assurances on safety and until it has demonstrated that it will be safe to increase numbers then 'schools should not expand their provision to more pupils'.

She added: "Our members are also extremely concerned about the lack of clarity involving the specific details of how schools should go about reopening and that there is an absence of any clear national guidance.

"The government needs to provide detailed, comprehensive guidance to schools which address all of the issues around safety and staffing levels and it cannot and must not leave it up to schools to go it alone in making these critical decisions themselves.

"We remain in a public health emergency and the government must demonstrate how it is going to be able to protect the health of all those who will be going into schools, and also their families."

'We want school open'

Not everyone is against the idea of pupils returning though.

Some parents feel their children are facing more harm by staying at home for such a long period and are keen to see them return before the summer holidays.

Lauren Ferguson's son Alfie is in Year 6 at King's Road Primary School in Stretford and says she's 'more than happy for him to go as it's what he wants'.

"He's become very isolated and withdrawn in himself, he loves school," she said. "They are old enough at 10/11 to know social distance and wash hands.

Lauren Ferguson's son Alfie

"I don't see the problem if non of the other years are in school meaning classrooms are empty and classes will be made smaller. They have missed out on so much like all children, but at this age the transition to high school is scary and does affect their mental health in a big way.

"They have all worked so hard towards the SATs etc and that didn't go ahead. I think give them a few weeks or a month or two back. It's the busy body parents who want to stand around wanting to gossip that will cause a problem."

Mum Emma Cape, from Walkden, would also like to see her son get back to high school.

She said: "My son is in Year 8 and desperately misses school. He suffers from anxiety and this really doesn't help being locked up. He hasn't left the house all lockdown because he's become paranoid, he needs normality and routine."

The government

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson says 'the latest scientific advice indicates it will be safe for more children to return to school from 1 June', but says the government will continue to limit the overall numbers in school and 'introduce protective measures to prevent transmission'.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson

The Department for Education has published practical guidance for headteachers about how schools can function safely, suggesting protective measures that can be put in place in education and childcare settings.