Updated; The government has just announced that all schools, across the UK will close from Friday. The only children left in school will be those of key NHS workers.

Earlier today, Norton Hill School announced that some year groups will be closing and pupils no longer need to come into school, due to staff and pupil numbers falling as coronavirus takes hold.

At the Norton school, years 8, 9,10 and 12 were told to stay at home from tomorrow (March 19). Meantime at Writhlington School the same year groups, 8,9,10 and 12 are also being sent home with the same year groups, the ones not taking big exams this year, also closing their classrooms at Somervale.

At Mendip Studio they are shutting for years 10 and 12.

But now the government has announced that all schools all across the UK will close.

It comes as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in B&NES increased yesterday with a positive test of a parent of a pupil at a primary school.

In a statement the school in Bath reported: " On Tuesday 17th March, late morning, the school received a call informing them that a parent of a child in Combe Down Primary School had been confirmed as having the COVID -19 virus.

" As a result, the school contacted all parents to inform them of the situation. All parents were then asked to collect their children so that the risk of possible infection was reduced. The school will remain closed for the remainder of the week to allow for deep cleaning, as a precautionary measure in line with current advice."

The partial secondary school closures were announced in a letter from the CEO of the Midsomer Norton School Partnership.

However in it he also said that pupils from those year groups which are being closed can go into school and will be looked after if their parents work in the NHS or in other front line services.