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Will UK schools close over coronavirus? School closures: What will happen now?
(about 4 hours later)
Many countries are closing schools as part of their efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus. Schools across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are to close in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
So, what's happening in the UK? What will the impact be?
Will my child's school close? How long are schools likely to be closed?
All schools in Wales will close by Friday, as will schools in Scotland, it was announced on Wednesday. We don't yet know. This will depend to a large extend on how effective measures to reduce the spread of the outbreak are.
England's Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is expected to do the same, but is addressing the House of Commons later this afternoon. Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries said the move was not prompted because children were at any particular risk, but because it was necessary to reduce social contact throughout society.
The government has been advising schools to stay open, saying that children are not as vulnerable to the effects of coronavirus as adults. England's Education Secretary Gavin Williamson says schools will be closed "until further notice".
In reality many individual schools have already been closing their doors, or sending certain year groups home. Most schools were due to break up for the Easter holidays in two weeks' time.
Schools in England, Wales and Scotland will close on Friday afternoon. Schools in Northern Ireland will close from Monday.
So will every school be completely closed?
No. Some schools will be kept open with a skeleton staff to provide support for the children of key workers such as NHS staff, police and delivery drivers.
They will also be asked to help those most in need - for example, children who receive free school meals.
Teaching unions are supportive of these measures, but say they want see more details of the plans.
What will happen about exams?
In England, all exams in May and June have been cancelled, including GCSEs and A-levels.
Mr Williamson told the Commons on Wednesday afternoon: "I can confirm we will not go ahead with assessments or exams and that we will not be publishing performance tables for this academic year.
"We will work with the sector and [the exams watchdog] Ofqual to ensure children get the qualifications that they need."
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will make a decision on exams in the days to come.
What does this mean for parents?
For many working parents, the closures will present issues surrounding childcare (this was one of the reasons why the government delayed closures as long as possible).
Some may need to take time off work, raising concerns that some families will struggle financially.
Head teachers have told the BBC that they have been making plans to continue teaching and supporting pupils during the closure, using social media and technologies such as Google Classroom and Maths Watch.
On Tuesday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said that funding for early years grants would continue to be paid while nurseries or pre-schools are closed and if childminders are unable to work.
Why did government hold out this long over closures?
Until now, the official advice was that schools should stay open, unlike many other countries across Europe where schools were closed earlier on in the outbreak.
The UK's approach was based on information that children are not as vulnerable to coronavirus as adults.
The government was also concerned that widespread school closures would cause widespread disruption.
And there were concerns that if grandparents - a vulnerable group - were drafted in to help with childcare, infected children could transmit the disease to them.
There have also been concerns that vulnerable children, such as those in danger of neglect, would be at greater risk if schools were closed for a long period of time.
How difficult has this week been for schools?
Head teachers say they have been struggling with the growing number of staff who have taken time off because they are ill, have underlying health conditions or are self-isolating.Head teachers say they have been struggling with the growing number of staff who have taken time off because they are ill, have underlying health conditions or are self-isolating.
The government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, told MPs at a hearing on Tuesday afternoon that closing schools was still "on the table", as one of the measures that could be used to fight the virus. Teachers' unions have said the uncertainty of the current situation was causing "intolerable pressure" for schools.
But the government is concerned that it would cause widespread disruption.
Many parents - including much-needed NHS staff - would have to take time off work to look after their children.
And there are concerns that if grandparents - a vulnerable group - were drafted in to help with childcare, infected children could transmit the disease to them.
There are also fears that vulnerable children, such as those in danger of neglect, could be at risk if schools were closed for a long period of time.
In Northern Ireland, First Minister Arlene Foster has said that when schools shut it will be for at least 16 weeks.
In Scotland, a number are closed for deep cleaning - a decision which some schools across the UK have also taken themselves.
Teaching unions have said the uncertainty of the current situation was causing "intolerable pressure" for schools.
Chris Keates from the NASUWT said "a lack of specific information for schools understandably has created a rising sense of panic".Chris Keates from the NASUWT said "a lack of specific information for schools understandably has created a rising sense of panic".
The National Education Union is calling for school closures "at least for some time and at least in some areas". Before the closures announcement, the National Education Union said it was advising its members with underlying conditions to stay off work.
England's schools watchdog Ofsted has been given permission by the government to temporarily suspend all routine inspections of schools, further education, early years and social care providers. Many individual schools had already been closing their doors, or sending certain year groups home.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak says funding for early years grants will be paid during any periods of time that nurseries or pre-schools are closed, when childminders are unable to work, or when children cannot attend due to coronavirus.
Could exams be cancelled?
We don't know yet.
The current advice from all the exams watchdogs is that teachers and students should prepare for exams as normal.
In Scotland, where exams start earlier than the rest of the UK, the Scottish Qualifications Authority said there was no change to the exam timetable. It is currently due to run from 27 April until 4 June 2020.
All its deadlines for coursework, and other assessments, remain in place.
The advice is similar elsewhere in the UK, with students, parents and teachers being told to prepare for exams and to keep across any updates.
England's watchdog, Ofqual, said: "Our overriding priorities are fairness to students this summer and keeping disruption to a minimum."
What if someone at my child's school is ill?
Schools are being urged to ensure pupils and staff wash their hands frequently. And they are being told to clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are touched regularly.
Schools and nurseries are being told that anyone who becomes unwell with a new, continuous cough, or a high temperature should be sent home.
If pupils become unwell at school they should be isolated while they wait for their parents to collect them. Ideally, this should be in a room behind a closed door, with a window open.
If that's not possible, they should be moved to an area at least two metres away from other people.
While the advice is that overseas trips should be cancelled, domestic trips can go ahead, as long as fresh risk assessments have been carried out.
What if I want to keep my child off school?
The official guidance is that children should stay at home if they are unwell, to avoid spreading the infection to others.
Otherwise, the advice is that they attend school as normal.
Under current rules, children can only miss school if they are too ill to go in or if parents have got advance permission from the school.
It is not yet clear what the situation will be for those parents who have decided to take their children out of school over concerns about the coronavirus.
Parents do have a right to home-educate their children - but if they are enrolled in a school, families can expect to be contacted by the school if they do not turn up.