PARENTS in Barrow are worried about sending their children back to school during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mums and teachers believe the Government’s target date of June 1 for some Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 classes to return is too soon.

Some schools have already said the return date is ‘optional’.

But Antonia Taylor, whose six-year-old daughter goes to Ramsden Infants in Barrow, said: “I think sending kids back so early is a disgrace.

“My daughter wants to play with her friends so telling her ‘you can’t go near your friends and must sit far away from them’ isn’t acceptable really.

“I don’t believe they will be able to keep kids away from each other and it’s not fair on kids or teachers.”

Kim Boswell said her children ‘will not be used as guinea pigs’.

“It makes no sense to send children back to school,” she said.

Kirsty Fegan said: “If I had the choice I’d keep them at home but as I work at the hospital I have no choice but to send them to school.”

Chris Brooksbank, the Cumbria representative for the National Education Union, said teachers in Barrow feel a return to school on June 1 is ‘reckless’.

“I have received hundreds of emails over the last week and almost all of them are expressing real concerns,” he said.

“Everyone is concerned we might be getting all this wrong.”

Ministers say schools should prepare to begin to open for more pupils from June 1.

This would initially be for those in nursery and pre-school, Reception and Years 1 and 6 at primary school.

Health experts have said that young children are at low risk from becoming very ill from coronavirus and are less likely to spread the infection than adults.

The Government has issued guidance to schools including to reduce class sizes, stagger break and lunch times, and school arrival and departure times, clean more frequently, and reduce the use of shared items and outdoor space.

But Mr Brooksbank, who is the former head teacher at Flookburgh CofE Primary School, said: “Class sizes of 15 will be almost impossible as many classrooms will not be big enough.

“To reopen we need to have effective testing, tracking, tracing which are not in place.

“One head messaged me worried about how to get 350 boys to hand wash with only four sinks.

“The most powerful messages have been from staff who felt they would lose their jobs if they didn’t go in, or were frightened about taking the virus back home.

“One member ended her email with: ‘I’d rather resign than be forced to return to work by June 1.

"'I can get another job, my three children can’t get another me’.

“I think the national union is right to refuse to consider a return on June 1 - it is reckless.”

Simon Fell, Barrow MP, said schools are only being asked to reopen ‘if it is safe’.

“This next stage is about reopening in a way that is measured, reduces risks and is guided by science,” he said.

“We’re asking schools to plan to open for June 1 but only if it is safe and if the rate of infection is dropping. And parents don’t have to send their children back at this stage if they don’t want to.

“Balancing safety and prioritising those who will most benefit from being back in class will be incredibly difficult and I want to thank teachers who are working so hard to make this work.”

Meanwhile, every person in the UK over the age of five is now eligible to be tested for coronavirus, the health secretary Matt Hancock has announced.