Here are the schools in the Scarborough and Whitby area that opened today; 249 schools in the county remain closed

One hundred and ten of North Yorkshire’s primary schools welcomed back children in reception, year one and year six this morning, despite safety warnings from teaching unions and some scientists.

The county’s remaining 249 schools will remain closed for at least another week or more, while some have not yet set a return date at all.

Surveys have suggested that about half of parents nationally remain unconvinced by the government’s reassurances.

But a clearer picture of parents’ worries will be painted later this week when North Yorkshire County Council reveals how many students actually returned to school.

It comes after weeks of wrangling between the government and teachers’ unions over safety concerns – and more than 20 councils across England advised schools not to reopen earlier today.

North Yorkshire County Council has backed the government’s plan throughout and before the weekend, Coun Patrick Mulligan, the council’s executive member for education, tried to assure parents that children’s safety is a priority.

He said all schools have carried out risk assessments looking at social distancing, staffing and hygiene.

But Coun Mulligan added distancing in some small classrooms “simply isn’t possible.”

Today will have looked very different for those pupils who did return – with staggered drop-off times and children staying in small groups of no more than 15 pupils.

Staff changes are also being minimised and items touched by children are being sanitised.

Many schools have been open for children of key workers, and vulnerable children. But today was the government's target for opening for the three year groups.

From June 15 secondary pupils will start to return, in Years 10 and 12 – and there are plans for all primary years to go back for the last month of term.

The schools in the Scarborough and Whitby area that opened today were:

Brompton & Sawdon Community Primary School

Caedmon College Whitby

Cayton School

East Ayton Community Primary School

Filey Junior School

Hunmanby Primary School

Lindhead School

Oakridge Community Primary School

Seton Community Primary School

Settrington All Saints’ Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

St Hedda’s Roman Catholic Primary School

St Martin’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Scarborough

St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Scarborough

Thornton Dale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Wykeham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School