The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has just announced that all schools and sixth form in the UK will close from Friday.
The closure will be “until further notice” in response to the Coronavirus (Covid-19/C19) pandemic.
Still open for children of keyworkers
The BBC say, “Schools will close except for looking after the children of keyworkers and vulnerable children”.
Boris Johnson said that on Monday 23rd March vulnerable children and the children of key-worker parents should turn up to their current school as normal.
Exams to be cancelled
Education secretary Gavin Williamson said that exams will not go ahead.
The joint secretary of the NEU said that cancelling SATs, GCSE, AS- and A-Level exams “offers some degree of reassurance to teachers, their students and parents”.
IWC will be analysing the Prime Minister’s statement
An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said:
“Headteachers and their staff have been magnificent over the past couple of weeks keeping schools open across the Island. The response of school staff has been outstanding.
“The local authority will be analysing the Prime Minister’s statement and will be working with school leaders to ensure that educational provision can remain in place for the vulnerable groups outlined in the speech and key workers who are needed in health, emergency services, social care, education and delivery of vital goods.”
Over 100 deaths
The news comes as the number of deaths in the UK reached 104 after the NHS said a further 32 people had died in England.
See the BBC for live coverage of the full announcement.
Article edit
6.15am 19th Mar 2020 – Statement from IWC added
Image: comedynose under CC BY 2.0
