Face coverings and asymptomatic Covid-19 tests in secondary schools will not be compulsory when pupils in England return to class next month, the schools minister has confirmed.

Nick Gibb acknowledged that it is "more challenging" to teach with face masks, but he said wearing face coverings is "highly recommended".

He appealed to parents to allow their secondary school-age children to take part in regular voluntary rapid coronavirus tests when classrooms reopen from March 8.

He told Times Radio: "Of course we can't make it mandatory on parents but we just hope that most parents will see the wisdom of testing their children twice a week."

Over the first two weeks of term, secondary school and college pupils will be asked to take three Covid-19 tests on site and one at home. They will then be sent home-testing kits to do twice-weekly.

Asked whether it should be a case of "no test, no school", Mr Gibb told LBC radio: "No, we want to make sure it is not compulsory in that sense, and they will need the permission of the parents.

"In all these things, it is a balance of risk and just having anybody tested, frankly, and identifying asymptomatic cases is a bonus in terms of minimising the risk."

Asked on BBC Breakfast whether secondary school pupils will have to wear face coverings, he said: "We are saying it is not mandatory for schools to have masks in classrooms but it is highly recommended because we want to do everything we can to reduce the risk of transmission in the school."

Furness Academy, Barrow's largest secondary school, is implementing a number of measures ahead of its reopening to students.

Simon Laheney, headteacher at Furness Academy, penned a letter to parents addressing the new Covid-19 measures which include: the extended use of face coverings which must be worn in classrooms and regular asymptomatic testing of students and staff.

Mr Laheney said 'everyone must wear a face covering at all times whilst they are in the school building, unless they are medically exempt, eating their lunch or during exercise in PE lessons'.

“We understand this will be frustrating for some and are relieved that this is only required up until the Easter break and, as such, only 19 days," he said.

“It is an additional precautionary measure for a limited time during this period of high COVID-19 prevalence in the community and we know we will all do our best to adhere to it."

He said more than 1,000 students were successfully tested over three days in January using Lateral Flow Tests (LFT).

“Since then, staff and students who have attended Furness Academy during the national lockdown have been tested weekly," he said.

“All in all, our staff team of LFT administers are now highly efficient with the process and are now supporting the community testing programme which began on Tuesday.

“In order to test the whole school community safely from Monday March 8, we will need to stagger the return to school for the students and we hope the test process will only take two days in total.”