Six multi-academy trusts with a combined total of more than 70 primary, junior and all-through schools have said they will reopen to more pupils next week even if there is no test, track and trace system in place.

Scientists have advised ministers that an effective track and trace system must be in place before schools open to more pupils. But doubts have been growing about whether it will be ready by the government’s 1 June target for school openings.

Tes approached academy chains that recently signed a letter warning of the damage that might be caused if pupils are kept out of school, which was used to back the 1 June date.

The letter had said that schools needed to “abide by scientific advice, collaborate and welcome children back to school”.  

When Tes asked the trusts whether they would reopen their primary schools to more pupils next week even if a test, track and trace system was not in place, six chains said they would still do so.

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Some of these trusts stressed that the wider reopening of their schools was still contingent on the government’s five key tests being met. But these tests do not include a track and trace scheme being up and running.

More details of the government’s plan for tracking and tracing are expected to be announced today.

Coronavirus: Is it safe to reopen schools?

More than 20,000 tracers have been recruited but the mobile phone app planned to use to track the virus is reportedly weeks away from being ready.

Last week it was revealed that scientific advisers to the government believed that an effective test, track and trace system must be in place before schools reopen to more pupils.

And the “Independent Sage” committee, chaired by former chief scientific adviser Sir David King, said delaying the target reopening date by two weeks would allow for more time for an effective “test, trace and isolate” programme to be established.

Sir David subsequently said the possibility of having a test, track and trace system in place for the planned reopening of schools on 1 June is “virtually nil”.

And at the daily coronavirus briefing last Tuesday, Professor Dame Angela McLean, a government scientific adviser, seemed to suggest that ministers had been advised that a track and trace system should be in place before schools open.

Asked whether it would open schools regardless of whether a test, track and trace system is in place, NET Academies Trust told Tes that it would welcome more pupils back on 1 June, while the Beckmead Trust said it would open all of its sites from that date.

And four MATs - Academies Enterprise Trust (AET), David Ross Education Trust (DRET), Reach South Academy Trust and Cabot Learning Federation - also said they would reopen schools from 1 June, subject to the government’s five key tests being met.

These tests do not specify that a test, track and trace system must be in place. The government’s five tests are:

• Protect the NHS’ ability to cope. We must be confident that we are able to provide sufficient critical care and specialist treatment right across the UK.
• See a sustained and consistent fall in the daily death rates from Covid-19 so we are confident that we have moved beyond the peak.
• See reliable data from Sage showing that the rate of infection is decreasing to manageable levels across the board.
• Be confident that the range of operational challenges, including testing capacity and personal protective equipment, are in hand, with supply able to meet future demand.
• Be confident that any adjustments to the current measures will not risk a second peak of infections that overwhelms the NHS.

Jo Coton, chief executive of NET Academies Trust, said: “All of our schools will be open to the required year groups on 1 June.

“There is a huge amount of work involved to make sure we reopen safely and are abiding by the social distancing requirements. I am remarkably proud of all our staff for what they continue to do during this crisis.

“We are reopening to fulfil our duty to our children that they miss as little school as possible, so that they don’t fall further behind, and our duty to our parents, to ensure they are able to bring in a wage for their families.”

The Beckmead Trust, which runs specialist social, emotional and mental health provision across several settings, including three that cater for primary pupils, also told Tes that all of its sites would be open from 1 June - even if the government’s test, track and trace system is not established by that date.

Jonty Clark, the trust’s chief executive officer, said: “We are working incredibly hard to ensure that all sites will be open from 1 June, are safe and abide by the social distancing and medical requirements as set out.

“The children and young people we serve have complex needs and it is vital that we provide for them, not just academically but with their attachments and sociability, and also that we support their families by enabling them to get to work if they can’t work from home.”

The four MATs that said they would reopen schools subject to the government’s five key tests being met stressed the importance of creating “as safe an environment as possible”.

A spokesperson for AET, which runs 32 primary schools, said: “The safety of our pupils and staff will always be our number one priority. We are carrying out detailed, rigorous risk assessments of each of our 32 primary schools and putting in place measures to help create as safe an environment as is possible.

“Subject to an unequivocal green light from government later this month on their five tests, we look forward to welcoming back our pupils from 1 June.” 

A spokesperson for DRET, which oversees 23 primary, junior and all-through schools, said: “Subject to the government’s five tests being met, together with our own preparations and risk assessments being properly in place, we will be reopening our schools to children in the priority year groups from 1 June.

“We will only open if we feel confident that risks are being managed appropriately in each school.”

A spokesperson for Reach South, which is responsible for 12 primary and all-through schools and one special school, said: “So long as the government’s five tests have been met and all risk assessments and mitigation have been signed off by the trust, then more pupils will start returning from 3 June onwards following final staff preparations on 1 and 2 June.”

Steve Taylor, chief executive officer of the Cabot Learning Federation, which runs nine primary and all-through schools, said: “If the prime minister confirms that the five key tests set by the government are met, we will begin a process of gradually widening provision in our schools from the week commencing 1 June.

“We will bring more children into school when we have confirmed that we can adhere to the ‘hierarchy of controls’ measures outlined in the government’s guidance and have taken sufficient time to provide training and induction for staff, because our commitment to prioritising the safety of all pupils and staff remains paramount.

“Throughout the lockdown period, we have remained open for priority groups of children, have delivered remote learning of high quality, boxes of food and other essential items to families experiencing hardship and maintained contact with our most vulnerable families.

“From 1 June, we will continue to prioritise offers of full-time places in school for additional children described as vulnerable and children of ‘critical workers’.

“Depending on safe physical and staffing capacity, we have planned for the phased return of more children from EYFS [Early Years Foundation Stage], Year 1 and Year 6. We have planned for some face-to-face contact for Year 10 and Year 12 students later in June.”

The prime minister has said he has “great confidence” that there will be a “world-beating” test, track and trace system in place by the time schools reopen to more pupils.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We want children back in schools as soon as possible because being with their teachers and friends, it is so important for their education and their wellbeing. 

“The prime minister has confirmed that primary schools and nurseries should continue to plan for a cautious, phased return of some year groups from 1 June at the earliest, while secondary schools and colleges should plan to provide face-to-face contact for some pupils from 15 June.

“The welfare of children and staff has been at the heart of all decision making and we recognise that some schools may not be able to open to more pupils immediately.

“We will continue to work with the sector to identify and understand any local issues, and will support any schools experiencing difficulties to ensure they can open as soon as possible.”