ALL schools across the UK will close from Friday.

Scotland and Wales announced the measure earlier today, whilst Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced the England would follow suit.

The closures will be until "further notice", with Mr Williamson saying the closures will come into effect on Friday afternoon.

LIVE UPDATES

Nurseries and private schools will do the same and financial provisions will be made.

Closures will not effect the children of 'key workers', and the most vulnerable children.

Exams in May and June are also cancelled, the PM announced today. In time, these children will get the qualifications, he said, but did not announce how.

Pupils that are entitled to free school meals will also get vouchers to ensure they do not go hungry.

Sir Patrick Vallance said that the "overriding consideration is to save lives and protect the most vulnerable".

The government's chief scientific advisor added that behaviour has already been changing since earlier measures, but "the thing we must protect... is to make sure that the NHS, intensive care capacity and ventilator capacity is not breached".

He says that schools did not need to be shut from the start as they are "not dangerous places" for pupils or teachers, "but this extra bit is now important to protect NHS capacity" and stop the spread.

It comes after a number of schools across Basingstoke were partially closed this week.

Everest, The Vyne and The Costello are amongst the secondary schools that announced certain year groups will not be able to attend.

Testbourne Community School in Whitchurch has also announced it will be closed to Year 8 pupils until the end of the week.

"These are very important choices we are making in our lives," Mr Johnson said.

"The more stricly we can follow the advice we are getting, then the better we will be able to protect our NHS, the fewer deaths we will have and the less suffering there will be in the UK.

"We will get through this and the better we will bounce back. It is very clear, this is strong, strong advice.

"We do not rule out taking further and faster measures in due course."