THE government’s lack of clarity on what schools should do during the coronavirus outbreak “is causing chaos and confusion and placing intolerable pressure on all staff,” teaching unions warned today.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a public announcement underlining the growing gravity of the Covid-19 crisis on Monday but stopped short of ordering schools to shut.

NASUWT acting general secretary Chris Keates said that the PM’s statement “failed to give the clear and definitive” directions that would enable individuals, organisations and services to make confident decisions.