I WATCH and listen with incredulity at the plans to reopen schools in England on June 1.

Because schools have remained open for children considered at risk or from essential worker families, staff have actually been working throughout the pandemic and for example many teachers haven’t yet had their Easter holidays break and similarly will no doubt be working over this week’s half term May holiday.

So who’s going to be cleaning the classrooms before the children in any sort of numbers return?

Will children with various learning or physical difficulties who are taught in mainstream education be allowed back at this time given that they usually require close physical contact with a teacher or teacher’s assistant.

Similarly, along with younger children, teachers will likely have great difficulty trying to ensure social distancing is maintained by children who will have no concept of the need to adhere to social distancing whether in the classroom or at playtime.

It strikes me that the politicians who have come up with this date and strategy don’t actually have any understanding of the way schools actually work these days.

Ian Thompson, Spennymoor