Headteachers’ unions have warned that schools will have to close due to staff shortages caused by coronavirus - despite the government’s preference for them to stay open.

The Association of School and College Leaders and the NAHT school leaders’ union issued the warning after holding talks with education secretary Gavin Williamson today.

Their statement also follows prime minister Boris Johnson’s first daily news conference about coronavirus, at which he said “on balance” it was right to keep schools open at present.

In a joint statement, the unions said some schools were still likely to close because there are “too few staff available to teach, support and supervise children”.

The union’s general secretaries, Geoff Barton and Paul Whiteman, said they raised concerns with Mr Willliamson over the implications of the crisis for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, those on free school meals and young people facing identified safeguarding risks.

They also asked about what will happen to Sats, GCSE and A-level exams - currently scheduled for May and June - and said there was a “need to move quickly”.

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However, it is unclear whether any of these questions were resolved, and the unions expect to hold further talks with Mr Williams and his officials later this week.

The joint statement says: “The most immediately pressing challenge is the difficulty in keeping schools open with growing numbers of staff having to self-isolate.

“It is likely that a number of schools will have to close because there are too few staff available to teach, support and supervise children.

“We are concerned about the implications for pupils with SEND as well as children who receive free school meals if a school is closed or they have to self-isolate, and, similarly, the wellbeing of vulnerable young people where there are identified safeguarding risks.

“There is also the crucial question of Sats, GCSE and A-level exams that are scheduled for May and June.

“We must move quickly to provide clarity and address the obvious anxiety for pupils, families and staff about what may or may not happen, and what contingencies are in place to deal with the inevitable disruption.

“We have also asked today that routine Ofsted inspections and school performance tables are suspended this year to allow schools and colleges to focus on the national mission of coping with this unprecedented situation.”

The government’s chief scientific adviser Professor Patrick Vallance said today that schools in the UK could close “when the time is right”. 

There were reports at the weekend that schools could close to everyone but the children of key workers.