School leaders are due to meet the education secretary to discuss the implications of schools being closed and exams being postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Gavin Williamson is expected to meet representatives from the NAHT school leaders' union, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) on Monday.
It comes as UK schools have remained open despite the coronavirus outbreak as health officials warn that the worst of the pandemic is still to come.
Ahead of the meeting, Leora Cruddas, chief executive officer of CST, said teachers are working in "extremely challenging circumstances" during a "very fluid situation".
"It is important to understand that all the big decisions about school closures, exams and the suspension of inspections can only be made by the Government," she said.
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"These are not decisions that regulators can make independently.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of ASCL, said he would be raising the challenges of keeping schools open amid staff shortages, and the potential for disruption during exam season, with the Education Secretary.
He said: "We aim to work through these issues in order to arrive at constructive solutions about the way ahead.
"School and college leaders are showing calm and assured leadership in these difficult times and we can reassure the public that everything that can be done to support young people will be done."
Ahead of the meeting, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT, said that although teachers were concerned about the impact on exams and assessments, the "main priority" was keeping children safe.
"Vulnerable children and families are uppermost in our minds," he said.
The Government has resisted pressure to close schools, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisting that it "could do more harm than good", but conceding that its position may change.
Amid blanket closures in European nations such as Ireland, Spain and France, many UK parents have expressed fears that their children could catch Covid-19 in the classroom or that they could be fined for keeping their kids at home.
Meanwhile, an online petition calling for parents to avoid prosecution if they pull their children out school due to coronavirus fears has more than 60,000 signatures.
The #Covid19walkout hashtag trended on Twitter last night with parents citing concerns over the health of students and elderly relatives who are most at risk of contracting the deadly disease.
One person said: "My mum is a teacher in her 60s, coming home to my Dad in his 70s. As much as Boris finds them disposable, they're the only family I've got and they deserve a damn sight more than being written off to balance his books. "
Another said: "I commend all the kids planning a #Covid19Walkout , in normal circumstances school is important but these aren't normal circumstances and with a negligent government, you have to do what's best for your health and the health of your family."
