Boris Johnson has hinted that schools will reopen in September and share his hopes that future closures could be avoided if further local lockdown were imposed.

The Prime Minister also expressed a desire to see exams return as normal and acknowledged that some students will be anxious to receive their results this year.

While visiting a school in east London, Mr Johnson said: “I very much hope that doesn’t happen for any pupils but clearly what we are doing – the way we are trying to manage the Covid pandemic – is to have local measures in place and local test and trace to introduce restrictions where that’s necessary.

“But, as we have all said, the last thing we want to do is to close schools.

“We think that education is the priority for the country and that is simple social justice.

“It’s not right that kids should spend more time out of school, it’s much much better for their health and mental wellbeing, obviously their educational prospects, if everybody comes back to school full-time in September.

“It’s our moral duty as a country to make sure that happens.”

Mr Johnson praised the work going on to make sure that schools are ready to receive students.

He said: It’s very important that everybody works together to ensure that our schools are safe and they are – they are Covid secure – I have been very impressed by the work that the teachers have done, working with the unions, to make sure that all schools are safe to go back to in September.

“A lot of work being done over making sure that there’s social distancing, bubbling, staggered start times, all that kind of thing.

“But, basically, the plan is there – get everybody back in September, that’s the right thing for everybody.”

The Prime Minister also revealed hopes to bring back exams and assessments.

He said: “I’m very, very keen that exams should go ahead as normal. Exams are a vital part of our education and I thank all the teachers for all the preparations they are making.

“Clearly, because of what has happened this year, there is some anxiety about what grades pupils are going to get, and everybody understands the system that the teachers are setting the grades, then there’s a standardisation system.

“We will do our best to ensure that the hard work of pupils is properly reflected.”