Headteachers’ unions are to hold talks with the education secretary about the implications of widespread school closures in response to the coronavirus outbreak, it has been revealed.

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) general secretary Geoff Barton said that leadership organisations are due to speak with Gavin Williamson next week.

He said he expected the talks to consider the implications of closing schools in response to the coronavirus.

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The NAHT school leaders’ union and the Confederation of School Trusts are also due to be involved in the talks with the Department for Education on Monday.

It follows the announcement from prime minister Boris Johnson yesterday that schools are not being closed now in response to the outbreak but that this could happen in future depending on the spread of the virus.

Speaking ahead of ASCL’s annual conference, which opens today, Mr Barton said: “We have been asked to meet the secretary of state on Monday...I think the idea is to take stock of where are we, what are the implications of the announcement yesterday.

“Inevitably, one of the things we will talk about is: is it really realistic in the worst-case scenario that every single school in the country closes? What would the implication be for certain youngsters? That is likely to be part of the discussion.”

When asked Mr Williamson would not reveal the agenda for next week’s meeting but said he was concerned about the question of what will happen to pupils’ free school meal entitlement if there was a closure of their school.

He also said that that the best course of advice for schools was to stay open “unless you are advised to close by Public Health England”.