School could be out until the end of summer after thousands of children in Atherstone and district were told they will be home from Friday "until further notice" as a UK-wide closure is enforced in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson told MPs that schools in England would be shut ahead of the weekend for all pupils, except the children of key workers and the most vulnerable.

It came after Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland announced similar measures on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day Nub News reported that Atherstone's Queen Elizabeth Academy had been forced to partially close after admitting it could no longer "safely educate" all the pupils on site because of the impact of Government measures in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Year 8 students were told to study at home after the educational establishment was hit by "significant" levels of absence from staff self-isolating.

They were informed in a letter to their parents by executive principal Andrew Wilson to "assume" they would not be returning for more than a month – or until at least after the Easter holidays on April 20.

The Government's actions are likely to take the matter a stage further as all exams scheduled for May and June "will not take place as planned".

The decision was welcomed by teachers' unions who have called for schools to be closed amid staff shortages - with some reported having a third of staff off sick, or self-isolating because of Covid-19.

Mr Williamson told MPs he wanted to provide parents, students and staff with the "certainty they need" as he announced the closures. "After schools shut their gates on Friday afternoon they will remain closed until further notice," he said. "This will be for all children except to those of key workers and where children who are most vulnerable." Mr Williamson continued: "I know the situation has become increasingly challenging. "I've said before that if the science and the advice changed, such that keeping schools open would no longer be in the best interest of children and teachers, that we would act - we are now at that stage." Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged parents not to leave children in the care of grandparents or older relatives who are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill with coronavirus. To date, 104 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK with more than 2,600 confirmed cases. In Italy – Europe's worst-hit country for coronavirus – reported deaths leapt by 475 in a single day, up to 2,978. Of the 35,713 confirmed cases, some 2,257 are in a serious or critical condition.