In the first batch of advice as older kids are told to start going back for some contact with teachers later this month, schools have been told to stagger start times and keep pupils apart.

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Last weekend the PM gave the green light for primary school kids to go back to school from June 1, and other years from June 15.

However, older pupils were today told that the main form of their education for the meantime will be at home and online.

It said: "We are asking secondary schools to offer this face-to-face support to supplement the remote education of year 10 and year 12 pupils, which should remain the predominant mode of education during this term for pupils in these year groups."

Kids in these years are seen as needing extra support as they go into their exam years.

The new rules from the Department for Education included:

• Ensuring 2m distance between secondary pupils – meaning most classes are no more than half their usual size
• Kids should be encouraged to wash their hands more regularly – and schools should get more cleaning
• Pupils should be kept in small groups only, and not allowed to mix with others
• Breaks and start times should be staggered so that kids aren't mixing in corridors and on playgrounds
• Schools can use rota systems, but they should do them for individual days and not split them between mornings and afternoons
• Pupils should be encouraged to walk or cycle to school where possible
• Kids should be told not to socialise with their friends outside the school gates before and after classes
• Anyone with virus symptoms should stay home

The rules are slightly different to the guidance for younger children, who are not expected to be able to stay 2m apart from everyone at all times.

But older pupils will be told they can't get close to their school-mates or will risk spreading the virus.

Ttoday it was confirmed that no other year groups will be invited back into schools at the moment.

The guidance says: "We cannot return more pupils to secondary school at this time.

"This position will be kept under review, and further advice will be provided as and when needed."

One of the key reasons, the guidance says, is because secondary school pupils usually have to travel further and many use public transport to get there.

At the moment the Government are discouraging the use of public transport for anyone who doesn't have to use it.

Instead people should walk or use a bike or car if they can.

"Numbers of secondary pupils must also be limited because we know older pupils are more likely to have a wider group of social contacts outside of school," the guidance said.

It comes after a huge row between the Government and teaching unions about whether it's safe for schools to return for more pupils yet.

Firebrand unions have come up with a string of conditions that have to be met first.

But Boris Johnson has insisted his track and trace system will be in place from June 1, so that any new coronavirus cases can be easily tracked and stopped from spreading further.

And he has acknowledged that not all schools will be able to go back at once, allowing classrooms time to get ready if they need to.

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