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Michael Gove has suggested teachers reluctant to return to school as the coronavirus lockdown is eased will go back to work if they “really care” about children.

The Cabinet Office minister said it was impossible to completely eliminate the risk of catching coronavirus unless people are “perpetually imprisoned in their own homes”, but stressed that schools would be “absolutely safe” to reopen.

The government and teaching unions are at loggerheads over the plan for a phased reopening of primary schools from June 1, with reception, year one and year six pupils scheduled to return.

An alliance of education unions backed by the British Medical Association (BMA), as well as some local authorities and city mayors has urged the government to “step back” from its timetable, and demanded to see the scientific and medical modelling used to justify the move.

But Gove, who frequently battled teaching unions during his stint as education secretary, told BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show: “Teachers will be safe in schools.

“The programme that’s been outlined is a staged and careful return.”

He went on: “Running through the figures – the R number, the rate of infection in the community overall, we’re confident that children and teachers will be safe.”

The Cabinet Office minister stressed that schools would see class sizes capped at 15, socially distanced desks, staggered breaks and arrivals, and one adult per class.

Gove urged unions and councils: “I respectfully ask them to think again, to broaden the range of scientific advice that they look at.

“I know the BMA has the best interest of members at heart. 

“But actually the clear scientific and clinical advice is that it is safe to have schools reopen, accompanied with social distancing. 

“And the other thing that I would say in particular is children only have one chance of education.

“Over the course of the last decade we made significant strides in closing the gap between the richest and the poorest in our schools. 

“This lockdown has put that at risk.

“If you really care about children, you will want them to be in school, you’ll want them to be learning, you’ll want them to have new opportunities. 

“So, look to your responsibilities.”

Gove went on: “The whole point of life is that you need to manage risk in a way that keeps people as safe as possible.”

“We cannot have a situation where we keep our economy and our schools and our public services continually closed down, because the health consequences of doing so would be malign as well.

“None of us can guarantee that anyone will be entirely free [from the risk of infection] unless effectively perpetually imprisoned in their own home.” 

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said she supported councils in trying to ensure their residents are safe.

She told Marr: “If you look at what Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor, said in the Guardian last night, the communication from the government – in terms of the safety measures for areas like Greater Manchester, Liverpool, like the north east – has been patchy so the information hasn’t been there.

“We believe the R rate is higher in those areas, in those regions, so therefore we want the government to publish the science behind it and provide the support.”

Anne Longfield, the children’s commissioner for England, has urged ministers and unions to “stop squabbling” and agree a plan to reopen schools.

She said many children were struggling away from the classroom, and the lack of education would have an impact on their future life chances.

Dr Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist at the World Health Organisation (WHO), said she believes “society has to restart” but that there will be a new normal. 

She told Marr: “It’s really maintaining that balance and you have to look at a number of interventions to be put in place as people start going back to work, going back to school, families want to meet again, we want to go shopping, we want to have social events, but at the same time, we know now, what is needed to keep this virus from spreading.”

These measures include social distancing, personal hygiene and “respiratory etiquette” – such as wearing a mask in crowded places, she said. 

“That has to become the new normal,” Swaminathan said, adding “but I do believe that society has to restart”.