Lewisham Council says schools in the borough should reopen more widely when they feel it is safe to do so.

More than two dozen councils across England have urged for caution in face of the Government's June 1 target, which would see reception, year one and year six pupils brought back.

The Council has stressed that schools should open "when their risk assessments suggest it is safe", rather than "to meet an arbitrary timetable."

Cllr Chris Barnham, Cabinet Member for School Performance and Children’s Services, said: "Any decision to increase numbers in school, and the timing, will be taken by individual schools, based on careful planning and risk assessment, taking into account the welfare of both children and adults.

"Children will only be invited back to school once these plans are in place. We are supporting schools in making those decisions, which will not be rushed.

"We have made clear that this means that parents should not assume that their child can return to school from 1 June. They should follow guidance from their school.

"I don’t speak for the Government, and I would not support bringing more children back to school just to meet an arbitrary timetable.

"We are taking a measured and cautious approach - supporting schools to plan a phased return of children, when their risk assessments suggest it is safe to do so.

"We will act in the best interest of Lewisham’s children, their parents and our school staff and we will not rush to suit a government headline."

The statement comes before a planned demonstration outside the Council building tomorrow in opposition to the Government's guidance, which activists say is "reckless and unsafe" given current infection levels and the absence of a functioning test and trace programme.

Campaigners, who say they will maintain social distancing, are calling for local councils to give a clear direction to schools that they should not bow to government pressure to reopen before it safe to do so.

Maggie Palmer, from South East London Coronavirus Action Group, said: "We ask Lewisham, Greenwich, Bexley and Bromley Councils to stand with us – children, parents and school staff - against the premature easing of the lockdown and the Government’s June 1st reopening.

"We call on our councillors to support our urgent demand that there should be no return to school until it is safe."

Whilst expressing sympathy for the desire protest, Cllr Barnham added: "It does seem odd to protest against a perceived premature easing of lockdown conditions by breaking the lockdown rules, which are there to protect us all."