Heads’ union leader Geoff Barton has said that schools need more answers from Ofqual about how it is planning to cope with the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

The general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders also called on the Department for Education to provide more information to schools about closures.

He warned that leaders were currently making contingency plans “in the dark”.

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Background: School closed after coronavirus concerns

Mr Barton was speaking ahead of the opening of ASCL’s conference, which is still going ahead amid the outbreak, over the next two days in Birmingham.

Prime minister Boris Johnson said last night that schools in the UK would not be shutting in response to the coronavirus.

However, he said the decision may change as the disease spreads.  The latest figures showed that 10 British people have died so far after getting the virus.

Mr Barton welcomed the decision to keep schools open but said schools now needed more information.

He said: “We support the decision of the government to keep schools open at this stage of the coronavirus emergency.

“But we think it would be prudent for the government to produce guidance about the steps for schools to take in preparation for and during any future closures.

“There are a host of implications, both in supporting the learning of pupils who are not in school and in terms of safeguarding.

“Schools have already been putting contingency plans in place but they have been doing this very much in the dark without knowing what may or may not happen. It would be reassuring for all concerned and be helpful in terms of general preparedness to have some official guidance.

“We would also urge Ofqual and the exam boards to publish their contingency planning as soon as possible. We are reassured by the work that they are doing, and we think that the public will be too, but they need to let people know.”