The government is set to announce that schools will be closed for a few weeks in response to the spread of coronavirus - but remain open to children of key workers, such as nurses, according to reports.

In the next stage of the government’s plans for dealing with Covid-19, skeleton staff will remain in schools to provide childcare and keep public services up and running, while other pupils will have to stay away, it was reported last night.

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On the Sophy Ridge on Sunday TV show this morning, health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed that the government would be making an announcement on the next stage of its plans on Tuesday, following a Cobra meeting on Monday.

This week, the NEU teaching union joint general secretaries Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney wrote to prime minister Boris Johnson to demand answers about the risks of infection to staff and pupils of schools staying open.

The letter says: “Every day, we are increasingly getting asked why schools aren’t closing if mass gatherings are to be suspended.

“We all want to limit and delay the spread of the coronavirus and we do think medical advice and expert scientific guidance is important in this regard.”