Council says key workers 'will be looked after'

Primary, secondary and nursery schools across the country will close on Friday

Devon County Council has said that children of key workers will be looked after so they can continue their vital work once schools close at the end of Friday.

Primary, secondary and nursery schools across the country will close on Friday for an unspecified amount of time, in a bid to help fight the new coronavirus COVID-19.

Closures are taking place across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and will include all child-minders and childcare providers.

Only vulnerable children and the children of key workers will still be allowed to go to school through the shutdown, while GCSE and A Level exams have been cancelled.

No details yet have been confirmed as to exactly how the school closures will operate and whether all schools will have to open to look after children or if there will be a rationalisation of schools in which some remain open to take children from a certain area.

In his speech, Boris Johnson said schooling would still be available for the children of health workers, police officers, supermarket delivery drivers and workers looking after the vulnerable and elderly, although once the full list of ‘key workers’ has been revealed, it will be expanded to include more job roles.

In response to being asked what Devon County Council was doing to gear up for the closures, Dawn Stabb, Devon County Council’s Head of Education and Learning, said: “Devon schools have already been doing a brilliant job ensuring that children of key workers continue to be educated as a priority even if they have had to partially close as a result of staff shortages.

“Over the coming week we will build on that sense of community spirit so that key workers such as NHS staff, delivery drivers, care workers and school staff can be assured their children will be well looked after so they can continue their vital work.

“Head teacher representatives and the council have already planned meetings to review our longer term contingency plans and how we can – together – respond to the situation that may unfold over the coming weeks.”