All schools in the UK will be closed from Friday, March 20.

The Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced today (Wednesday, March 18) that until further notice for all pupils except children of key workers and the most vulnerable, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said.

Several schools and nurseries had begun partially closing due to lack of staff unable to look after students.

It was also the announcement the government did not want to make – shutting down schools indefinitely.

But as the virus has spread further into communities, it became inevitable.

Heads and teachers are just as at risk as anyone else, and as more and more staff called in sick – increasing numbers of schools started to fall like dominoes under the weight of this pandemic.

Although the decision gives certainty for now – doors will be closed – there is even more uncertainty ahead.

Mr Williamson told MPs: "I want to provide parents, students and staff with the certainty they need.

"After schools shut their gates on Friday afternoon they will remain closed until further notice.

"This will be for all children except to those of key workers and where children who are most vulnerable."

The Prime Minister said that NHS workers and other frontline workers need to still continue to work despite the closure.

"We therefore need schools to create provisions for the children" he explained.

He added that they need to take care of the "most vulnerable children"

"We're simultaneously asking nurseries and primary schools to do the same."

Meals and vouchers for children eligible for free school meals will be given.

Mr Williamson confirmed that assessments and examinations will not take place in May and June year.

He said: "I can confirm that we will not go ahead with assessments or exams and that we will not be publishing performance tables for this academic year.

"We are working on further measures to support not just businesses, but also individuals and families.

"I need to remind parents that children should not be left with parents or grand parents."

He added that the steps announced today are already slowing the spread of the disease.

Professor Patrick Vallance says the "overriding consideration is to save lives and protect the most vulnerable".

The prime minister says children should not be left with older grandparents or older relatives who may be particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus.

"I want to thank families for their sacrifice," he adds. "I want to thank teachers, all the support staff who keep schools going."

The government's chief scientific officer says people's behaviour has already been changing since earlier measures, but adds: "The thing we must protect... is to make sure that the NHS, intensive care capacity and ventilator capacity is not breached".

He says that schools did not need to be shut from the start as they are "not dangerous places" for pupils or teachers, "but this extra bit is now important to protect NHS capacity" and stop the spread.

Conservative former education secretary Damian Hinds said schools should be given "flexibility where necessary" to add to those of parents considered key workers or vulnerable children.

Mr Williamson said flexibility is "absolutely at the core of this", noting: "Where we're looking at what we're having to deal with today, we have to equally recognise some of the challenges and some of the demands on the system are going to be substantially greater in the weeks ahead than they are currently today, and we will need to constantly change how we do that response.

"We'll certainly work with headteachers and all other organisations to make sure we get this right."

Mr Williamson said the Cabinet Office would provide further details about what constitutes "key workers".