UK schools close and exams cancelled as coronavirus death toll rises - BBC Newsnight

Schools in the UK will shut until further notice for all but vulnerable children and the children of keyworkers to try and stop the spread of Covid19. Coronavirus deaths in the UK increased by 33 to 104 on Wednesday 18 March. Subscribe to our channel here

At the end of the week, all of the schools in the UK will close their doors except to the children of essential workers and the most vulnerable children.

Nurseries, private schools and sixth forms are also being told to follow the guidance to close their doors.

It is unclear as of yet how those due to sit their GCSE and A Level exams in the summer will gain the qualifications they have been working towards.

How will this radical move affect the attempt to slow down the virus, and how will the most vulnerable be cared for?

Policy Editor Lewis Goodall reports, and Emily Maitlis is joined by Damian Hinds, the former Conservative Secretary for Education, Torsten Bell, the chief executive of the think tank the Resolution Foundation and Jannet Sherrif is the executive head teacher at Prince Henry's Grammar School.

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