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What makes you think she will have exams in May?
What makes you think they won't, what little is coming out of the exam boards is carry on as normal. The implications to college and university entry are terrible, schools don't have capacity for year 11 and 13 to come back September, using predicted grades is a non starter. I can see kids going in for exams even if the rest of the school is shut.
I suspect any exams will have to be taken in isolation at home.
And get the kids/parents to pinky promise they won't cheat?
My unthought through of the cuff reaction to hearing of the situation in my ex wife's school, basically it's really now just childminding so parents can keep working was that the educational year will have to be run again.Temporarily raise the school starting age by a year, return the primaries here in Brighton back to the middle schools they used to be when I first came here in the late 70's, i.e they spend an extra year in them allowing all secondary school children to sit this year again.
As I say totally off the cuff and with no knowledge of all the issues it will cause but many countries with better educational results start their children at school later than we do. It would obviously also have an economic impact on those families who were expecting children to move on to school and reduce their childcare costs but that seems a problem that can be addressed.
And to all teaching and school staff thank you for playing your part in keeping the economy going. It's a very different role to those in healthcare but just as important. In fact in the long term it may be even more important, a totally crashed economy could well over time kill more people than this virus.
What makes you think they won’t, what little is coming out of the exam boards is carry on as normal.
Dozens of reasons ...
1) Every single decision / guidance the UK makes is just top down but the reality is they are eventually doing what every other nation (excepting the US) is doing...
2) She will be well enough to even go ...
3) There are already thousands of kids not in school and by next week tens of thousands or millions... it seems very very unlikely most will be back before start May and not that likely they will have an acceptable percentage for longer?
4) A bit of an extension to 1 so perhaps 1b ? The exam boards are just waiting for someone to tell them... like my kids primary trip was going ahead until the council cancelled... (on the grounds it was a sporting venue - even though it was not using any "sporting" facilities) ...
The implications to college and university entry are terrible, schools don’t have capacity for year 11 and 13 to come back September, using predicted grades is a non starter. I can see kids going in for exams even if the rest of the school is shut.
Again this really is wave of pen and government chequebook problem... I have no doubt Ireland, Poland or France will work something out.
Exams don't need to be in schools either but as this progresses the bigger picture will be how many are well enough and scheduling exams to give them chance to prepare.
I understand your reluctance ... however would you feel the same if Boris pulled his thumb out and actually said that the exams will be postponed until the current emergency is over or under control and that kids will be given the chance to prepare properly?
I keep telling mine (without a hint of irony) they should enjoy it as it might be the last day they see alot of their friends for a while. Thats only going to hold out a few more times, but to be honest I think the school can't hold out much longer. Numbers are well down already - its only a matter of time.
Should it turn out the WHO’s teams of epidemologists turn out to know more than Boris’s “experts”
Schools have been kept running in a number of countries - not just the UK.
Re exams: I think they may go ahead as normal but maybe with some consideration on the grade boundaries.
My girls are keen to go to school but they're on the run up to A levels so may be keener than many. Luckily their school is pretty small and may be able to adapt more readily.
As far as we're concerned it's business as usual but classes are cut down some with only 25% attendance.
My exam classes are carrying on as usual. SQA have given no info (I'm meant to be marking assignments in April) worst case is a delay to the exam diet university's can moan but quite easily absorb a change in starting dates. It's not like it's like every other year.
If the close schools in a week's time and deep clean them then they have a whole load of unused rooms to split exams across. Obviously the timings in Scotland are easier than down south. All my exam classes have been finished courses for a couple of weeks but I'm now battering them with evidence gathering tests just in case. What will come out of this will be a more rigorous testing regime just in case.
Onehundredth. I am a verifier, we have cancelled all visiting verification and are "discussing" having our standardisation meeting in May. Postponement by six/10 weeks is my bet with regards to this years exam diet.
And to all teaching and school staff thank you for playing your part in keeping the economy going. It’s a very different role to those in healthcare but just as important. In fact in the long term it may be even more important, a totally crashed economy could well over time kill more people than this virus.
+1
Re exams: I think they may go ahead as normal but maybe with some consideration on the grade boundaries.
I think they apply a bell curve. If everybody is crap, boundaries automatically move.
PE practicals are going to be hard to grade this year...
Is there any other sector in the UK seeing as many absentees as we are seeing with staff in schools? I'm not hearing of any problems at all with medical or care staff not showing up. The businesses I deal with have not been affected at all, other than organising WFH, etc, even though it's all customer facing. We have a full office here, minus a handful who ae working from home and one who is off as a precaution.
IdleJon
Have 1200 other people in your office do you? A large percentage of whom decide to ignore advice on handwashing etc.
Have 1200 other people in your office do you? A large percentage of whom decide to ignore advice on handwashing etc.
Hyperbole. (Which isn't helpful.)
You're not exposing yourself to the whole population of the school, are you? No more than someone who lives next to the school and has the 1200 kids walking past. You're exposing yourself to your class(es) - which is a higher risk than in my office, granted. And even that risk can be ameliorated by sensible management.
It's just been announced that all schools in Wales will be closed by Friday, anyway.
Well after having a very sensible and understanding conversation with both kids Head Masters we've taken them out of school as a precaution due to my wife being at risk.
Both Heads were great and fully understood - and supported - the reasoning and decision.
Both Heads said they were under staffed due to some self isolating because of pregnancy and under lying health issues - his exact phrase was "we're just about keeping the wheels on".
Both kids are having a bit of a relax today to get there head around stuff and then tomorrow we've got some work planned for them.
The Schools are doing a great job under increasing pressures.
No more than someone who lives next to the school and has the 1200 kids walking past.
Cobblers alert!
In NI some Schools are closed and some are not.
Some parents sending kids to school while others are not.
For example, all 10 special schools in Belfast closed indefinitely on Monday the 16th.
No more than someone who lives next to the school and has the 1200 kids walking past.
Cobblers alert!
😀
Could be. But if 1200 schoolkids charge out of school and hit the local sweet shops, does that mean that the local shopkeepers are as at risk as the teachers? Obviously not all the 1200 kids will be in the shop..
But if 1200 schoolkids charge out of school and hit the local sweet shops, does that mean that the local shopkeepers are as at risk as the teachers? Obviously not all the 1200 kids will be in the shop..
What do you think?
Anyway, to the teachers reading this: thanks. You seem to be managing a very difficult situation well.
My son is happy enough going to school, I on the other hand had to be forcibly eject from the house this morning!!
schools shut from monday - lots of biking to be had as the weather has dried up a bit. win win
schools shut from monday
If you're Scottish or Welsh... one assumes England announcement today.
My 8 year old is VERY aware of what's happening and whilst he's not bothered about going to school, he's very concerned about me going to work.
My 17 year-old is (I hope) just histrionically flouncing about the house saying "it's not fair" "there's no point" "I'm jusy going to go out anyway"
Getting on my tits a bit but hopefully she's grown-up enough to not really mean it
We are being told at work that all UK schools to close, likely until summer, unless you are exam cohort and they will be trying to make arrangements.
(I'm director of national education charity, our sources are pretty good).
The education secretary is speaking at the daily briefing today so we'll find out very soon but I agree with Matt^^^ they will close on Friday.I have just sorted a space in the spare bedroom so I am able to work from home in peace.
It’ll be worth them closing to shut the moaners up, for now.
It’ll be worth them closing to shut the moaners up, for now.
They'll only find something else to complain about.
We are being told at work that all UK schools to close, likely until summer, unless you are exam cohort and they will be trying to make arrangements.
This makes sense. If it's possible to keep something going for GCSE and A level students then it would be great.
I can imagine the small [private] school my girls go to could make this work but I do wonder about the large state schools - hopefully so.
It’ll be worth them closing to shut the moaners up, for now.
They’ll only find something else to complain about.
There are so many experts on social media now, they will find something.
Son's 6th form college closing on Friday till after the Easter break, for now at least. Daughter's school closed to Year 9 tomorrow due to lack of staff, rest are in.
Subject to government announcement later, of course
Dirkpitt, I thought the advice for folk with kidney disease was to isolate. I have a friend in a similar situation. He pulled his kids out of school and are isolating.
I think this would be a sensible thing to do given you wife’s health situation regardless of the grandparents.
I'm not sure fines will be issued to parents under these circumstances. We had about 350 pupils missing today from a total of about 1400. Unfortunately many pupils are claiming to be suffering from the symptoms which leaves us no choice but to send them home for 14 days.
The education secretary is speaking at the daily briefing today
Would he be there if it was to say schools in England are to stay open?
My daughter's primary has emailed to say that yr 6 will be bringing home Easter SATs homework today "being prudent, given the current circumstances". Normally it's given out just before the break in 2 weeks time.
My son's school sent out a "communication test" email to see if they have up to date email addresses. We get regular emails and more recently with their virus updates. Why do a check now....
Our school closed until 20th April now.
Well my girls are now in floods of tears at the thought that this week could be their days at school and that A levels may not take place.
Bollocks.
Have 1200 other people in your office do you? A large percentage of whom decide to ignore advice on handwashing etc.
Hyperbole. (Which isn’t helpful.)
You’re not exposing yourself to the whole population of the school, are you? No more than someone who lives next to the school and has the 1200 kids walking past. You’re exposing yourself to your class(es) – which is a higher risk than in my office, granted. And even that risk can be ameliorated by sensible management.
Yes you are ... that's hundreds of kids touching the same doors/handrails etc. (not to mention pencils, library books etc. etc.) all one after the other...
Hundreds of kids for many handwashing is a foreign concept and sticking fingers, pens etc. in mouths (or noses) happens all the time.
1200 kids walking past .. unless they are spitting in your garden or gate has virtually no risk and if you're sensible and want to be cautious you'll open the gate with a disposable item.
I asked my 10yr old (earlier) about hand washing and doors/rails... the school either hadn't mentioned it or totally failed to get this across... and despite or perhaps because he was so upset this morning he and I totally forgot his hand gel (that he took out of his school bag last night and put into his guitar case)
Its the combined result of these that makes schools are such a likely transmission vector. I'm not going to name companies but I know one has a handrail rule (zero accident place) I've been told it has put both regular cleaning measures in place and disinfectant at the top and bottom of each handrail in the company for example.
Nothing on any of the exam board websites except WJEC, looks like they weren't prepared for this announcement either, typical Johnson create a mess for others to fix.
@sharkbait (or anyone else)
This makes sense. If it’s possible to keep something going for GCSE and A level students then it would be great.
I can see It's rather disappointing for them but they will defer and/or make alternative arrangements. [based on what happens]
Regardless of anything else it will be public opinion suicide not to
Genuinely sorry for all the GCSE and A-Level kids who’ve had the rug pulled from under them 🙁
I’ve told my boys that kids of key workers will still be going to school even though all their mates are not. And that since they’ve got a nurse and a policeman, they’ll be going on weekends too. Now my wife’s angry that I made the little one cry.
Rather disappointing, you've clearly got no idea, this was an idiotic decision which will impact hundreds of thousands of children. The system doesn't have capacity to defer the exams.
It's very unsettling for a significant number of students who have had nothing but revise, prepare and it will be worth it for months. I think this decision will be "refined" over the next few days.
My school will be open for key workers and there was nothing about staff staying at home, most students yes, staff no. No reason why exams could not go ahead in the 50 empty classrooms with staff and 10 students in each.
Wally that's exactly what I expected to happen, a proportionate response. Now Johnson has shot his mouth off all hell will break loose. He didnt actually say exams were cancelled, he said they wouldnt be in May & June, still nothing from the exam boards (wife is an exam officer), I have a mental picture of people t JCQ with their heads in their hands.
BJ said exams postponed (pretty sure) while the BBC had a ticker running along the bottom of the screen saying exams were cancelled!!
ITV saying they're not happening.
You would have thought they'd do anything they could to keep the exams going.
(Never thought I'd hear myself say that!!)