This morning, two Salford schools have announced partial closures as Government advice kicks in about social distancing, essential only travel and working from home where possible.
The Holy Family Catholic Primary School has closed two nursery and reception classes 'due to staffing issues', while the pupil referral unit, Alder Brook Primary Partnership Centre, has closed two classes today 'due to staffing issues following new guidance'.
Yesterday, five Salford schools closed for a deep clean including David Lewis, Lark Hill, and Moorfield Primary in Irlam (all open today). The Salford Star is learning of parents keeping children off school due to family self-isolation or health and safety, and teachers over sixty electing not to put themselves at risk by going into schools.
It is unclear whether parents who keep their children off school will be fined, particularly when sick notes aren't available as some GPs are doing phone consultations only.
Meanwhile, confusion reigns at Salford University where the authorities have "taken the decision to extend the suspension of face-to-face teaching and assessment provision to Level 6 and 7. Teaching will be suspended from close of play on Tuesday 17th March..."
With staff expecting to be working from home, following Government advice, a paragraph later the University states..."All colleagues who are able to do so, should attend work and help us plan and develop working arrangements to take effect from the end of this week".
Meanwhile, three days ago, the National Education Union, NEU, wrote to the Prime Minister...
"Every day we are getting increasing numbers of questions from teachers and support staff asking why the Westminster Government isn't following the pattern of other countries in calling for periods of school closure. Those questions are increasingly asking why schools aren't closing if mass gatherings are to be suspended.
"...We now see that you may take legal powers to force schools to remain open even when heads and teachers think there is good reason to close. In those circumstances we, as the leaders of the largest education union, believe that it is right for us to ask you for fuller disclosure of the models you have looked at, and to understand which measures you are targeting.
"...It is very important that we understand what the increased rate of infection is for staff and parents if school remain open, including obviously for those with underlying health conditions themselves, or for those they care for.
"We know you've expressed concerns about children not in school being cared for by vulnerable elderly grandparents, or by NHS staff who would then not be available for work. However, we would suggest that parents and schools would be able to work together to find solutions to that - and we would like to know if you have any modelling of such societal responses.
"Most of all we think that education staff deserve to have access to modelling of the projected spread of the virus and the projected number of fatalities in a wide variety of scenarios including in scenarios where schools are closed for different periods of time.
"Teachers and other staff would work to help a broader societal response to mitigate the effects of the virus. We know this is especially important in a country where public services and the NHS in particular have been run down for so long. However it is vital that you share all of the potential models you have with us if that societal response is to be as strong as possible..."
With #schoolswalkout for March 20th trending on Twitter, hundreds of thousands of people signing petitions to shut schools, and parents and school staff voting with their feet, no-one knows how long the Prime Minister can keep control of the education system.
Update: 11:30am National Education Union advises vulnerable teachers and pupils to stay away from schools and colleges - click here
Update: 12:30 - More Salford Schools Close as virus bites - click here
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