12:12

Plans are being worked on in Wales to “re-purpose” schools - and teachers - to support children of key workers such as health professionals.

Welsh education minister Kirsty Williams said at a press conference in Cardiff that she did not expect the summer exams to take place this year.

She explained that children would definitely be off for four weeks – but warned it would be a “considerable amount of time” before schools were back to normal.

The Welsh government is bringing forward the Easter break for school in Wales, which will close for normal lessons on Friday at the latest.

Williams said that from next week, schools will serve a new purpose. She said job would be looking after children of parents dealing with the immediate response to the crisis – such as doctors, nurses, care workers and people involved in the food supply chain.

The minister also said that youth workers, sports coaches and people working in the arts could also be called on to help.

She said:

We will be looking to establish a system of support that will allow those key personnel to be able to use those facilities. We do not want do denude those frontline workers by not having an option for childcare. It’s a massive task.

Asked how long the closures were going to last, Williams said:

We will continue to keep the situation under review. I am not anticipating that we will be able to get school back to normal at the Easter break. Children will be off for four weeks. I do not anticipate that schools will be back to normal for a considerable amount of time.

Williams added that work was being done to make sure that children who would have expected to have free school meals will not go hungry.

On free school meals Williams said: “We are looking to put in place emergency provision as we work out a more detailed response.”

The minister said she had been impressed by the response of teachers.

We are not in normal times. The [teaching] profession knows they have a crucial role to play in helping this nation overcome the the problems we are facing.

Williams said the decision to close schools had not been made following new health advice but to try to use resources pragmatically. “Things are changing on a daily and hourly basis,” she added.

On the possible cancellation of this summer exams, Williams said: