A-level and GCSE exams in England should be pushed back to mid-summer to help cope with the impact of coronavirus, Labour has said.

Shadow education secretary Kate Green said students starting Year 11 and 13 in September had "a mountain to climb", having missed months of schooling.

Exams scheduled for May should happen as late as July to allow more catch-up teaching time, she added.

The government said it would "consider" its approach but exams would go ahead.

Days after results were announced, and following widespread criticism, the government performed a U-turn and decided to base grades on teachers' estimates instead.

But many pupils were left in limbo, having already missed out on university places for this year's intake.

GCSEs and A-level exams are expected to take place as normal next year, but Ms Green said: "It's so important that the government starts to make contingency plans now so we don't see a repeat of the fiasco that we saw over the last few weeks."

She said students heading into year 11 and year 13 - the GCSE and A-level exam years - had seen "a lot of disruption to their education" and "our first priority must be to give the students every possible chance to demonstrate their learning, their attainment and their potential".

"Young people have never been front of mind when the government has been managing its way, or failing to manage its way, through this Covid crisis.”

A Department for Education spokesman said: "Getting all children back into their classrooms full-time in September is a national priority, as they are the best place for their education, development and wellbeing.

"We recognise that students due to take exams next summer will have experienced disruption to their education, which is why we prioritised bringing Year 10 and Year 12 pupils back to school last term.

"Exams will go ahead next year, and we have been working closely with the sector, Ofqual and exam boards to consider our approach."

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said Labour's plan was "worthy of serious consideration".

But he added: "A delay is not without its problems. A consequential delay to the publication of results will put pressure on higher education providers such as universities and colleges, as well as employers."