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Many countries are closing schools as part of their efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus.
So, what’s happening in the UK?
Why is my child’s school still open?
At the moment, the government is advising schools to stay open.
The UK’s approach is that children are not as vulnerable to the effects of coronavirus as adults.
The government is also concerned that closing schools would cause widespread disruption.
Many parents – including much-needed NHS staff – would have to take time off work to look after their children.
And there are concerns that if grandparents – a vulnerable group – were drafted in to help with childcare, infected children could transmit the disease to them.
There are also fears that vulnerable children, such as those in danger of neglect, could be at risk if schools were closed for a long period of time.
Could my child’s school be closed?
The government has the power to close schools and – once a new law is introduced – to increase class sizes if sickness causes teacher shortages.
It has also said that schools should not be taking trips abroad.
Exactly what action schools are asked to take may differ around the UK.
Keeping England’s schools open is the “best course of action”, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said.
In Northern Ireland, First Minister Arlene Foster has said that when schools shut it will be for at least 16 weeks.
And in Wales, schools closures have not been ruled out, with Health Minister Vaughan Gething saying “they could be “effective later on”.
In Scotland, a number are closed for deep cleaning – a decision which some schools across the UK have also taken themselves.
Could exams be cancelled?
We don’t know yet.
The current advice from all the exams watchdogs is that teachers and students should prepare for exams as normal.
In Scotland, where exams start earlier than the rest of the UK, the Scottish Qualifications Authority said there was no change to the exam timetable. It is currently due to run from 27 April until 4 June 2020.
All its deadlines for coursework, and other assessments, remain in place.
The advice is similar elsewhere in the UK, with students, parents and teachers being told to prepare for exams and to keep across any updates.
England’s watchdog, Ofqual, said: “Our overriding priorities are fairness to students this summer and keeping disruption to a minimum.”
What if someone at my child’s school is ill?
Schools are being urged to ensure pupils and staff wash their hands frequently. And they are being told to clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are touched regularly.
Schools and nurseries are being told that anyone who becomes unwell with a new, continuous cough, or a high temperature should be sent home.
If pupils become unwell at school they should be isolated while they wait for their parents to collect them. Ideally, this should be in a room behind a closed door, with a window open.
If that’s not possible, they should be moved to an area at least two metres away from other people.
While the advice is that overseas trips should be cancelled, domestic trips can go ahead, as long as fresh risk assessments have been carried out.
What if I want to keep my child off school?
The official guidance is that children should stay at home if they are unwell, to avoid spreading the infection to others.
Otherwise, the advice is that they attend school as normal.
Under current rules, children can only miss school if they are too ill to go in or if parents have got advance permission from the school.
It is not yet clear what the situation will be for those parents who have decided to take their children out of school over concerns about the coronavirus.
Parents do have a right to home-educate their children – but if they are enrolled in a school, families can expect to be contacted by the school if they do not turn up.