The Prime Minister, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser have always said that at some point it would be necessary to close education settings to help in the fight to control coronavirus. Alas that point has come and the Secretary of State for Education, Rt. Hon Gavin Williamson MP, announced in Parliament this afternoon that schools across in England will be closed from Friday 20th March. This corresponds to similar closures planned in the rest of the UK.

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Schools, colleges and nurseries in England will be closed until further notice, but there is work underway to ensure that schools will remain open to vulnerable children and children of key workers in the emergency services, health and social care, NHS and similar institutions important in the fight against Coronavirus.

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The Government has advised that children should not be left with older grandparents or older relatives who may be particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus.

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Financial provisions are being made to support schools during this period and additional funding made available for all schools. Extra funding for free school meals and other associated costs is also being made available.

Exams scheduled for May and June 2020 are postponed until further notice.

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I want to express my own personal thanks, to all the teachers, teaching assistants and support staff within schools and colleges who have worked tirelessly since the outbreak.

There is rolling advice on www.gov.uk where there is a special coronavirus tab at the top.

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