Health bosses are convinced that children and young people will be able to return to schools and colleges in Nottinghamshire. this September.

Director of Public Health for Nottingham City Council, Alison Challenger, said it would take “a big outbreak” locally to prevent this from happening.

She said schools in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire had been working through the holidays to put measures in place to keep school children safe.

She went as far as saying that it would be safe to open schools tomorrow if the opportunity presented itself to the local authority.

Mrs Challenger told Nottinghamshire Live: “It is really important that schools do reopen in September. No one has ever known schools to be closed for this length of time. It does have an impact on children.

“Getting schools back is a priority. It is understandable that people are concerned about children returning to school and the risk of infection.

“But I think we can be reassured that schools are putting very strict measures in place on how they are going to manage this.

“They have been constantly planning throughout the holidays and continue to do so.

“It would take quite a big outbreak locally to prevent that from happening. We can’t say for sure but it looks okay at the moment.

“If schools were starting tomorrow then it looks fine to put those measures in place and get children back.”

Many parents are still concerned about sending their children back to school during the coronavirus pandemic.

Some schools such as Coppice Farm Primary School in Arnold were forced to close their doors for a deep clean in July after one of the children tested positive for Covid-19.

David Shaw, principal at Bilborough College, said testing should be “a priority” within education settings and is calling for a mobile site on campus.

The number of cases of coronavirus are rising in parts of Nottinghamshire, in particular Newark, which has been put on the government watchlist.

Latest data for Nottingham shows the number of new infections has risen to 32 new cases in the seven days to August 16 – 3.2 per 100,000 people.

This is compared to 19 new cases recorded in the seven days to August 9.

But Nottingham still remains lower than neighbouring Leicester, which has 168 new cases.

Jonathan Gribbin, Director of Public Health at Nottinghamshire County Council, added: “I completely understand parents who might have some initial concerns.

“Actually if we are thinking about concern, my bigger concern would be if children and young people were unable to return next term.

“It is really important they get back into school.”