Younger pupils in Scotland are being recommended to return to school first, it has emerged. 

The return of "some" children is expected to be announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon later this afternoon. 

National clinical director, Professor Jason Leitch, told the BBC his recommendation to ministers is that younger children can return, although he was reluctant to say older pupils – who will be working towards qualifications – can do the same.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Son's anger over 85-year-old mother's missing test results

“We’re heading in the right direction,” he said.

“I can break the secret – you definitely won’t see all of lockdown lifted, but there is progress and therefore you’ve got to think, as public health advisers, what is the first thing you should do?

“The most important thing is children.

“That’s what we’ve trailed in the last few weeks that, if we can, we will get some kids back to school.”

Prof Leitch added that, although it looks as though some pupils will return, schools will not go back to normal.

“You’ve heard the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister talk about ‘priority groups’ – the very small kids for whom the wellbeing of schools, the collective nature of schools and early learning centres are so important for development, and we agree.”

Asked about the possibility of older children returning, Prof Leitch said: “It gets more difficult at that end for a couple of reasons.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: The Glasgow areas with the lowest positive cases

“The principal reason is that older kids behave like adults in relation to the virus, so they can spread the virus and the new variant spreads proportionately more easily even in that group. So we’ve got to be cautious.”

He added: “But, we don’t want kids not to get qualifications.”

The Scottish Government has already said the current restrictions will last until at least the middle of February, and Ms Sturgeon will confirm if this will be extended and provide an update on the plans for schools returning.

She will also set out additional measures on travel, including going further than current proposals by the UK for quarantine hotels and other measures aimed at making current travel rules “more effective”.

Most pupils in Scotland are currently taking part in online learning, with only those deemed vulnerable and the children of key workers attending school.