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| Coronavirus: Schools need clear advice on closures, heads say | Coronavirus: Schools need clear advice on closures, heads say |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| School leaders say parents need clear advice ahead of exam season, as it is likely to overlap with the predicted peak in coronavirus cases in the UK. | School leaders say parents need clear advice ahead of exam season, as it is likely to overlap with the predicted peak in coronavirus cases in the UK. |
| The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) says its members are facing questions from anxious families. | The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) says its members are facing questions from anxious families. |
| The Department for Education in England is advising all schools to stay open and says its coronavirus helpline for education staff is offering advice. | The Department for Education in England is advising all schools to stay open and says its coronavirus helpline for education staff is offering advice. |
| Exam regulators are urging schools to prepare for public exams as normal. | Exam regulators are urging schools to prepare for public exams as normal. |
| The government has said no widespread school closures are imminent in England, although individual schools may be advised to shut by Public Health England if needed. | The government has said no widespread school closures are imminent in England, although individual schools may be advised to shut by Public Health England if needed. |
| Almost 1,000 head teachers are gathering in Birmingham on Friday for ASCL's annual conference, where contingency plans for schools will be discussed. | |
| Geoff Barton, the general secretary of ASCL, said many head teachers were facing questions about exam season, and there was an urgent need for reassurance. | Geoff Barton, the general secretary of ASCL, said many head teachers were facing questions about exam season, and there was an urgent need for reassurance. |
| "Parents and pupils are worried about being the victim of something out of their control and are asking, 'will I get into college or university?'" | |
| The government warned yesterday that within weeks whole households would be asked to self-isolate if one person showed symptoms consistent with coronavirus. | The government warned yesterday that within weeks whole households would be asked to self-isolate if one person showed symptoms consistent with coronavirus. |
| It is not clear exactly what this would mean for a teenager unable to sit their exams, but there are mechanisms for allocating marks in exceptional circumstances, which have been used before. | It is not clear exactly what this would mean for a teenager unable to sit their exams, but there are mechanisms for allocating marks in exceptional circumstances, which have been used before. |
| England's Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is due to speak at the conference. | |
| He is likely to reassure head teachers that plans are being made for different scenarios to mitigate the effect on pupils and schools. | He is likely to reassure head teachers that plans are being made for different scenarios to mitigate the effect on pupils and schools. |
| There are no plans as yet for wholesale school closures in any part of the UK, although schools have been advised to cancel trips abroad. | There are no plans as yet for wholesale school closures in any part of the UK, although schools have been advised to cancel trips abroad. |
| The Welsh government has been advised school closures are not an appropriate move at the moment, though the situation remains under review. | The Welsh government has been advised school closures are not an appropriate move at the moment, though the situation remains under review. |
| The Scottish government has also said school closures would not be an effective measure at this stage. | The Scottish government has also said school closures would not be an effective measure at this stage. |
| The Republic of Ireland's decision to close schools, colleges and public childcare facilities until 29 March is likely to affect businesses in Northern Ireland's border region that employ staff from the Irish Republic. | The Republic of Ireland's decision to close schools, colleges and public childcare facilities until 29 March is likely to affect businesses in Northern Ireland's border region that employ staff from the Irish Republic. |
| In the meantime, many schools will continue to assess how technology could be used to continue pupils' learning in the event of isolated closures. | In the meantime, many schools will continue to assess how technology could be used to continue pupils' learning in the event of isolated closures. |
| Sharon Bruton, chief executive of the Keys Federation Academy Trust in Wigan, whose schools use an artificial-intelligence learning platform, said teachers could set assignments via email and social media accounts. | Sharon Bruton, chief executive of the Keys Federation Academy Trust in Wigan, whose schools use an artificial-intelligence learning platform, said teachers could set assignments via email and social media accounts. |
| "Schools are adaptable and flexible places - I'm certain school leaders and curriculum leaders will be thinking about how teaching can continue for their students should this be an eventuality," she said. | "Schools are adaptable and flexible places - I'm certain school leaders and curriculum leaders will be thinking about how teaching can continue for their students should this be an eventuality," she said. |
| "Educators are remarkably resilient and adaptable and I think part of our job is to meet the needs of our children and make sure they can thrive in challenging circumstances - and this [coronavirus outbreak] won't be any different." | "Educators are remarkably resilient and adaptable and I think part of our job is to meet the needs of our children and make sure they can thrive in challenging circumstances - and this [coronavirus outbreak] won't be any different." |
| So the possibility of blanket school closures has been kicked down the road, but that doesn't remove the uncertainty entirely. | So the possibility of blanket school closures has been kicked down the road, but that doesn't remove the uncertainty entirely. |
| No head teacher can rule out the possibility their school could be affected at some point. More pressing is the likelihood that the peak in cases could coincide with exams due to begin in mid May. | No head teacher can rule out the possibility their school could be affected at some point. More pressing is the likelihood that the peak in cases could coincide with exams due to begin in mid May. |
| This might mean more households isolating, more teachers off work. | This might mean more households isolating, more teachers off work. |
| One option could be to move some exams to later in June, when fewer are traditionally scheduled. | One option could be to move some exams to later in June, when fewer are traditionally scheduled. |
| This would prolong the agony for teenagers, and their families, but could increase the chances of most being able to sit the exams that are the passport to the next stage of their life. | This would prolong the agony for teenagers, and their families, but could increase the chances of most being able to sit the exams that are the passport to the next stage of their life. |
| In the meantime, despite expert advice, some parents continue to call for school closures. | In the meantime, despite expert advice, some parents continue to call for school closures. |
| The exams watchdogs for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all urging teachers and students to prepare for the exams season as normal. | The exams watchdogs for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all urging teachers and students to prepare for the exams season as normal. |
| In Scotland, where exams start earlier than the rest of the UK, the Scottish Qualifications Authority said there was no change to the 2020 national-qualifications timetable. | In Scotland, where exams start earlier than the rest of the UK, the Scottish Qualifications Authority said there was no change to the 2020 national-qualifications timetable. |
| "Current deadlines for coursework, and other assessments, remain in place," it added. | "Current deadlines for coursework, and other assessments, remain in place," it added. |
| England's exams watchdog, Ofqual, said: "We continue to work closely with exam boards, other regulators and the Department for Education and we have met to plan for a range of scenarios, as the public would expect. | |
| "Our overriding priorities are fairness to students this summer and keeping disruption to a minimum." | "Our overriding priorities are fairness to students this summer and keeping disruption to a minimum." |
| Qualifications Wales said: "We will provide guidance on our website to reflect any specific arrangements that schools and colleges should put in place if required." | Qualifications Wales said: "We will provide guidance on our website to reflect any specific arrangements that schools and colleges should put in place if required." |
| Northern Ireland's Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) said there were "a broad range of contingencies to ensure the smooth operation of examinations", which would be updated if necessary. | Northern Ireland's Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) said there were "a broad range of contingencies to ensure the smooth operation of examinations", which would be updated if necessary. |
| "In the meantime, students, schools and colleges should continue to prepare for the summer examinations and assessments as usual," it added. | "In the meantime, students, schools and colleges should continue to prepare for the summer examinations and assessments as usual," it added. |