Worried parents call for schools to be closed completely in Milton Keynes to protect their families from Covid-19

And some are demanding schools be shut down completely until the second wave of Covid is over.

They say sending thousands of children to school every day in MK is putting her health of their wider families at risk as well as that of teachers.

Since schools re-opened in September, there have been almost daily examples of pupils or staff testing positive for coronavirus and children having to be sent home to isolate as a result.

Current public health guidelines state that only students who have been two metres away from a peer or staff member who has tested positive should be sent home.

While some parents think this is wise advice and will prevent panic and disruption, others believe it is simply not safe enough.

This week Stantonbury International School sent a letter out saying there had been a positive case in Year 7.

It stated: "There is a small bubble of students that have been in close distance (2m) identified. Those students are being sent home to isolate with a return date of November 27th."

One mum, who is in the vulnerable group for Covid herself, said: "How is this safe? Why are they only sending home children who have been less than two metres away from the infected person?"

She added: "I'm told its public health rules. I think this government is playing with people's lives by forcing our children to go to school.

"The children are already in classrooms wearing coats in November because they have to be in a fully ventilated room so windows are permanently open. Now, if they're the same room but more than two meters away, they have to stay until the next child test positive."

Another parent said: "Almost every day we hear of another case or cases at another school in MK. It seems futile that parents have to stick to lockdown rules when their children are going to school and mixing with potential infected cases every day with the risk of bringing the virus home."

Other parents agree with the government's view that going to school is "vital" for children’s education and wellbeing, and the risk of young people becoming seriously ill from Covid is low anyway.

The national parents' group Use for Them strongly believes schools should be kept open so students' lives can be as normal as possible in these abnormal times.

A government spokesman said: "Time out of school is detrimental for children’s cognitive and academic development, particularly for disadvantaged children. This impact can affect both current levels of education, and children’s future ability to learn.

He added: "The risk to children themselves of becoming severely ill from coronavirus is very low and there are negative health impacts of being out of school. We know that school is a vital point of contact for public health and safeguarding services that are critical to the wellbeing of children and families.

"It continues to be the aim that all pupils, in all year groups, remain in school full-time throughout the autumn term."

But the National Education Union, which represents more than 450,000 teachers, disagrees and launched a petition earlier this month for all schools to be put in lockdown. The petition is gaining increasing support and has gathered more than 100,000 signatures.

A union spokesman said: “Teachers are struggling with the work load, they’re struggling with the level of anxiety. Many teachers are feeling they've worked solidly since March, the stresses and strains are beginning to show.”

Currently the 'close contact' rule still applies before a pupil can be sent home.

A close ‘contact’ is a person who has been close to someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 any time from two days before the person was symptomatic up to 10 days from onset of symptoms (this is when they’re infectious to others).

This could be a person who spends significant time in the same household, who has had face-to-face contact (within one metre) - including:being coughed on - or who has had skin-to-skin physical contact, contact within one metre for one minute or has been within two metres of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes.