One in 10 parents would only be “happy” to send their child back to school when staff and pupils have been vaccinated against Covid-19 - even if this were to take up to 18 months, a survey reveals.

And nearly one in five parents - 18 per cent - said they would only feel confident in sending their child back to school when school leaders and teachers said it was safe to do so. 

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The survey also shows that the majority of parents feel positive about how their child’s school has communicated with them during the lockdown, with 85 per cent reporting teachers’ contact had been carried out “very well” or “well” with them during closures.

A quarter - 25 per cent - of over 250,000 parents who took part in the Parentkind survey said they would feel comfortable with a September return date if it was confirmed now, while just one in 10 said they would be happy for their child to return “as soon as the lockdown ends”.

Coronavirus: What parents think about reopening schools

A further 23 per cent said they would only be content to send their child to school when the government says it is safe to return.

Nearly half of all parents surveyed - 48 per cent - said their biggest concern for their child during the pandemic was about them not seeing friends or socialising during school closures, while 38 per cent said their biggest fear was their child missing out on learning.

And 35 per cent of parents said they were most concerned about their child’s mental health during lockdown.

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

Prime minister Boris Johnson promised to deliver a “comprehensive plan” this week on how the UK lockdown may be eased and suggested that he would set out efforts to get children back to school.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has said schools in England are set to reopen in a “phased manner” after the lockdown but he has yet to set a date.

John Jolly, CEO of Parentkind, said: “Parents are desperately seeking clarity and reassurance about schools reopening, what measures will be put in place to ensure their child’s education doesn’t suffer long term, and how the mental health implications for young people will be addressed.

“The weight of our research and the strength of parent voice is a call to action for UK governments to listen to parents when it comes to reopening schools, phasing children back into classrooms and minimising the disruption to home life and the education of children.”

Another poll by Mumsnet found that most parents would not send their children back to school as soon as they reopen - but 43 per cent would.

The survey, of more than 1,000 users of the online parenting forum, also found that more one in five (22 per cent) of parents think schools should reopen now.

The findings come after more than 340,000 people signed a petition, launched by the NEU teaching union last month, which opposes any reopening of schools “before it is safe to do so”.

The petition has been signed by tens of thousands of parents, the union has said.