SCHOOLS across the UK are to close from tomorrow (Friday) as a further measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Schools across the UK are to close to all pupils except those of key workers in a bid to halt the spread of Covid-19, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.

Schools in England will close their gates on Friday until further notice, alongside nurseries, childminders and colleges.

GCSEs and A-levels in England and Wales will also be cancelled — although there are plans for students to receive the qualifications they need, Mr Johnson said.

The Welsh Government said all schools will close for an early Easter break by Friday at the latest, but said childcare settings are expected to remain open for now.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced schools and nurseries in Scotland will also close by the end of the week. A decision on whether exams will sit in Scotland has not yet been taken.

Colleges Scotland said face-to-face college teaching will stop across Scotland by Friday and move to online teaching.

Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, schools will close and it is expected pupils will not sit summer exams.

Mr Johnson urged parents not to leave children in the care of grandparents or older relatives who are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill with coronavirus.

He said meals and vouchers would be provided for pupils who currently receive free school lunches, and those who are vulnerable will still be able to go to school.

This includes those who have a social worker and those with educational health and care plans, while the children of key workers such as those in the NHS, social care, police and supermarket delivery drivers will also be able to attend.

To date, 104 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK and around 55,000 are thought to have been infected.

Mr Johnson said measures taken so far were helping to slow the spread of the disease, but did not rule out tougher measures down the line, including if people did not stick to the ’strong’ public health advice already given.

He said schools had been under ’constant review’, but now was the time to apply ’further downward pressure’ on the upward curve of the virus by shutting them.

Meanwhile in the Commons, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed that assessments and examinations such as GCSEs and A-levels will not take place in the current academic year.

And he told MPs: "The spike of the virus is increasing at a faster pace than anticipated and it is crucial that we continue to consider the right measures to arrest this increase and to relieve the pressure on the health system.

"The public health benefits of schools remaining open as normal are shifting.

"It is also clear that schools are increasingly finding it more difficult to continue as normal, as illness and self-isolation impacts on staffing levels and pupil attendance."

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