Reality Check

Image source, Getty Images

The prime minister wants all children back in schools by September, but a number have already returned.

Around 868,000 pupils attended schools in England last Thursday, the highest since lockdown was introduced, according to the Department for Education. This means just 9% of the student population having returned, but up from the 2.5% average seen over May.

It is the second week that entire year groups – Year 1 and Year 6 – were encouraged to return to school, although just a quarter of Year 1 pupils did and a third of Year 6 pupils.

Around 40% of the children who were back on Thursday were from “key worker” families. This group has been allowed to attend school throughout the lockdown.

Since nursery, Reception and Year 1 and 6 classes restarted for all pupils, the number of teachers in school has increased to 200,000. However, this figure still only represents just over a quarter of the nearly 720,000 teaching staff typically in work across England.

EU leaders have failed to agree on a €750bn (£676bn; $840bn) recovery fund for the coronavirus crisis but Germany called the talks "constructive".

Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "The bridges we still have to build are big, that's true, but it was a discussion in a very constructive atmosphere."

Several northern European nations oppose the plan to pay out €500bn in EU grants. They insist on loans instead.

Italy and Spain, worst-hit by Covid-19, would get the largest aid packages.

It was a video summit, but further talks in July, it is hoped, will be face-to-face.

Naomi Grimley, BBC News

The World Health Organization has warned that the Covid-19 pandemic is entering a “new and dangerous” phase. Thursday saw the most cases in a single day reported to the WHO.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the day had seen 150,000 new cases with half of those coming from the Americas and large numbers also from the Middle East and South Asia.

He said the virus was still spreading fast and the pandemic accelerating.

He acknowledged people might be fed up with self-isolating and countries were eager to open their economies but he said that now was a time for extreme vigilance.

Reality Check

At the Downing Street press conference on 10 June, Boris Johnson promised “a massive catch-up operation over the summer and beyond” for children who have missed months of schooling.

Just over a week later, the education secretary has announced a £1bn “hugely ambitious catch-up plan”.

It includes £350m to fund a National Tutoring Programme for the most disadvantaged pupils and £650m for schools in England to spend how they see fit, with the government hoping it will be “spent on small group tuition for whoever needs it”.

But both of those chunks of money are for the next academic year (2020-2021). It’s not clear how and whether schools will be able to access these funds before then.

The government is providing advice for schools from the Education Endowment Foundation,, external which includes the option of running summer schools, while recognising challenges they present such as staffing through the holidays.

You can read more about the extra funding here.

Image source, PA Media

Gavin Williamson, the education secretary for England, took the government's daily briefing today. He's a summary of his key points:

• Children from all age groups would return to schools in England in September
• Further social distancing guidelines would be available "within weeks"
• Advice for people who are shielding would be given soon
• Online teaching was improving, with many schools doing an "excellent" job
• The pattern of Covid infections and deaths was "similar" around the whole UK

The last question is about whether the education secretary agrees with the PM that teachers should create catch-up plans for every pupil before the summer.

Gavin Williamson says he is in "complete agreement" with Boris Johnson that the government must do "everything we can to support children who have suffered as a result of not being in school".

Asked if teachers should be expected to go into schools over the summer, he says the government has set out a number of "packages" that English schools could use today's additional funding for.

But he repeats his earlier pledge that it is down to each individual place to "tailor their plan to their children".

And that concludes today's government briefing.

Asked what will happen to his school plans if there's a second wave of coronavirus infections, Gavin Williamson promises to give "careful consideration" to "every single eventuality".

And on possible "air bridges" being established between the UK and other countries, the education secretary advises people to visit "some beautiful seaside" resorts in the UK, including his home town of Scarborough.

The transport secretary is continuing to look at the international situation, Williamson adds.

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Next up is a question on whether children should be taught more about Britain's involvement in slavery when in school, in light of the Black Lives Matters protests.

Gavin Williamson says the national curriculum covers the British Empire, and it is "vitally important that when children are learning... they learn all aspects, both the good and bad".

But he says we should be "incredibly proud" of Britain's "rich history", adding: "Time and time and time again, this country has made a difference and changed things for the better right around the world."

Asked whether the tutoring plans could become a permanent fixture for those who need them most, the education secretary says the government is "looking at how we support schools and how we can continue to build on evidence-based initiatives".

Gavin Williamson says he's "absolutely signed up" to bringing every child in every year group back to school in the autumn. He promises to consult workers across the education sector.

Asked about a lack of interactive learning via video conferencing in state schools during the lockdown, he says some are providing "excellent" lessons in this way. More than 12 million lessons have been downloaded in the last few weeks, he adds.

Providing online access and the "Covid catch-up plan" are part of a "long-term project" to improve access, Mr Willamson says.

Schools are giving "amazing support" for children, the education secretary adds.

The next question from the media is about 2m social distancing, saying teachers need advance warning to prepare if it will be reduced - as it already has been in Northern Ireland.

Gavin Williamson says England is "actually much further ahead than Northern Ireland" with the number of year groups back at school.

He promises the government will publish further guidance in the next two weeks so "schools have the maximum amount of time to prepare for the next phase of welcoming children back".

But the education secretary says over that fortnight, the government will continue to "work with the sector" to ensure children are brought back in the right way.

Image source, Reuters

Questioned by BBC education editor Branwen Jeffreys, Gavin Willamson says it's "vital" to get children back to school. Coronavirus infection levels are decreasing and this is "incredibly positive", but protective measures will need to stay in place to ensure safety in schools.

On social distancing, he adds that the review under way on the two-metre rule will be done quickly, but he can't give an "exact date" for any changes.

"We've got to get Britain working again," Mr Williamson says.

A second question from the public comes from Bryn from Northallerton.

He asks when more advice will be made available to those shielding at home, and how businesses will need to adjust.

Gavin Williamson says he has family currently shielding, so knows how important it is.

"That is why in the coming weeks, very shortly, we will be getting that advice out to [those shielding]," he adds.

Answering a question from a member of the public on testing children for coronavirus, Gavin Williamson says the government is taking steps to improve the way this works.

Gavin Williamson says the government now has a "hugely ambitious catch-up plan" to get children "back to where they should be".

He adds: "We will not allow an entire generation to lose out on their education or accept lower expectations for them."

The education secretary confirms plans for a £1bn fund to help England's children with catch-up lessons and to get tutoring.

He says the crisis "will have affected children in many different ways" so he will allow schools to "tailor" the way they spend the funding to help them.

"The pandemic has dealt an unprecedented shock to our education system," says Williamson.

"Although we have a clear plan, there will be times we will have to respond quickly to changing circumstances."

Gavin Williamson says in March, the government "did something different from virtually every other nation" by keeping schools open for critical workers and the most vulnerable.

He says they did it as they "recognised the important role schools play in keeping those children safe".

The education secretary says they "want as many children back in school as possible", and for those who have returned, they are "enjoying being back in the classroom and being back with friends and classmates".

He says school is "vital", and as a result, "all children, in all year groups, will go back to school in September".

The number of deaths among people with a positive Covid-19 test reported on 19 June is 173. This brings the total to 42,461 since the outbreak began in the UK.

In total, 5,030 people are currently reported to be in hospital with Covid-19.

Image source, UK government

Image source, UK government

Gavin Willamson, outlining the statistics on cases and testing, says most nations and regions of the UK are "broadly following a similar pattern".

Image source, UK government

Image source, UK government

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson says that, despite the downgrading in the Covid alert to level three, the pandemic "isn't over" and that people have to remain on their guard.

Image source, UK government

The daily UK government press conference has started, with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson taking to the lectern.

We will bring you all the updates from the briefing here.

Image source, Getty Images

We should be hearing from the UK government in the next few minutes.

But that gives you time to read our in-depth look at changes to lockdown measures in all parts of the UK.