UK schools will close 'until further notice' as the coronavirus pandemic rapidly spreads across Britain

• Schools will close across the UK in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
• The Education Secretary confirmed English schools will close on Friday.
• The Welsh and Scottish governments will also close their schools at the end of this week.
• Prime Minister Boris Johnson had been under growing pressure to close Britain's schools.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Schools will close across the UK on Friday "until further notice" in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic across Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Wednesday.

The Education Secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that English schools will close on Friday afternoon. The Scottish and Welsh governments confirmed on Wednesday that their schools would also close this week.

"After schools shut their doors on Friday afternoon they will remain closed until further notice," Williamson said.

Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams also confirmed the decision, with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying that schools in the country had lost too many staff through sickness and self-isolation to remain open.

The move came after Boris Johnson came under growing pressure to close English schools as well.