HAMPSHIRE schools will welcome more pupils next week but some schools won't be able to do so.

County bosses have confirmed that schools across Hampshire have put new measures in place to ensure that Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 students can safely go back to their classrooms from June 1.

Some of the measures include minimising contact by having smaller class sizes and avoiding mixing between groups.

But not all of the schools across the county will be able to open up to more pupils on Monday as a phased approach is being adopted to ensure staff and students are safe.

The news comes as schools across the country were asked to remain open for sons and daughters of key workers only in a bid to stop the spread of Coronavirus.

Cllr Darren Paffey, Cabinet Member for Children and Learning at Southampton City Council, said: "Schools in Southampton will now carefully and cautiously begin to welcome back more pupils. This will not be a full or sudden return for all groups from 1st June, because our highest priority is to open schools safely, not just quickly. We’re taking a flexible approach, which has been welcomed by schools. We’re providing support wherever plans are being made to open for the year groups proposed by the government, and we’re also supporting schools who need to take a more gradual reintroduction of pupils over a longer period."

Schools across the rest of Hampshire will also open up to more students on Monday.

But Cllr Roz Chadd, Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Education and Skills, said: "However, the exact pace of this has to be informed by each school’s own risk assessment, taking into account the reduced number of children the national guidance advises can be in any one classroom and the number of classrooms and staff available. So, for example, a small infant school may only be able to accommodate one year group, in addition to key worker and vulnerable children. A small number of schools have one of their five training days scheduled for Monday and therefore will be opening further on Tuesday.”

She asked parents to be patient and added: "The additional numbers some schools will be taking in on day one will be cautious, and schools are planning to build up numbers over time, safely. Unfortunately, in some schools it will not be possible to accommodate all children in all priority year groups while adhering to the national guidance, mainly due to school and classroom sizes presenting logistical problems."