Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, warned some schools already do not have enough capacity to admit all pupils in nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.
The head teachers’ union leader calls on the government to reconsider its ambition to bring back all primary school pupils to school for a month before the summer break, which he says is unrealistic.
School leaders have warned that they do not have enough space if they adhere to government guidance to limit class sizes to 15, stagger break and lunch times, and encourage fewer interactions.
Emily Proffitt, head of Cooper Perry Primary School near Stafford, told the PA news agency she has some parents on a waiting list this week while she works out how many children she can admit.
Ms Proffitt has opened her doors to around 45 pupils – including students from all four cohorts and key workers’ children – but there are more than 100 eligible for a place.
She told PA she would struggle to accommodate all these children if families wanted them to return.
“The offer to parents at the moment is that they contact us and request a place, but it’s not guaranteed. It depends on health and safety. It doesn’t sit easily with me because I’d like them all back,” she said.
Asked of the government’s aim to see all primary school pupils back before the holidays, Ms Proffitt added: “If the government was still insisting on all the safeguarding measures then we cannot accommodate full school. It would be absolutely impossible.”
