Coronavirus in Sheffield: Parents won’t face fines for keeping children off school after lockdown

But parents will be strongly encouraged to take up these places - unless the child or a family member is shielding, or the child is particularly vulnerable.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said children would not have to be "sprayed with disinfectant" before being allowed to return to school.

"I did see that one proposal from a union, that is absolutely not going to happen," he said.

He told ITV's This Morning that he understood parents' fears about sending children back to school.

But he said: "We wouldn't be proposing this if we didn't think that it was safe."

The new Government guidance - on how schools, nurseries and childcare providers can safely reopen to more pupils - says most staff in education settings will not require PPE when they open up.

But it adds that it should be worn by a supervising adult if a pupil becomes unwell with symptoms of coronavirus while in the setting.

Children and staff are not required to wear a face covering or face mask in schools and early years settings.

The Government guidance acknowledges that young pupils will not be able to remain two metres apart from each other and staff.

Instead, primary school classes should be split into groups of no more than 15 pupils per group. These small "consistent" groups will be kept from mixing with other pupils during the day.

The advice says that demand for childcare is "likely to be lower than usual" and so staff-to-child ratios "should allow for small group working".

But it adds that in some cases, it may be necessary for childcare providers to introduce a temporary cap on numbers to ensure that safety is prioritised.

Schools, colleges and nurseries closed seven weeks ago due to the coronavirus outbreak, remaining open only for vulnerable youngsters and the children of key workers.