coronavirus | Schools Week

Coronavirus: Universities’ unconditional offers moratorium extended

A moratorium on unconditional university offers has been extended for another two weeks as regulators deal with the fallout of summer exam cancellations. Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, previously introduced a two-week moratorium on the practice to stop a “potentially dangerous scramble” by institutions to switch pupils’ offers. The moratorium was due to end on […]

Coronavirus: Schools and councils step up to feed pupils over Easter

Schools, councils and academy trusts are delving into their own finances to make sure poorer pupils stuck at home during Easter continue to get free meals. The Department for Education finally launched a national scheme this week to provide £15 weekly vouchers for pupils entitled to free school meals. Our conclusion was that it’s our […]

Coronavirus: Teachers say a special ‘thank you’ to NHS heroes

Teachers have joined the hundreds of thousands of people volunteering to help the NHS to say “thank you” to “incredible” hospital staff whose care has transformed their own lives. The Royal Voluntary Service last week appealed for 250,000 volunteers to help with the NHS coronavirus response. The target was reached within 24 hours, and at […]

Coronavirus: Be ‘flexible’ on resignations to avoid recruitment blockage, schools told

Schools should be “flexible” over staff resignation dates to ensure there’s not a “deficit of teachers” unable to move this year, with leaders urged to conduct interviews online. Education unions say schools should not be conducting face-to-face interviews amid the coronavirus outbreak, and instead should consider managing applications and interviews virtually. In this difficult period, […]

Coronavirus: Teachers warned against live-streaming lessons

Teachers have been warned against using live-stream technology to run classes from home, but one school running lessons virtually says they feel it keeps children safer. The National Education Union issued guidance this week on distance learning, saying it “cannot be business as usual” while schools are closed, warning online lessons should be kept “to […]

Coronavirus: Schools will rank GCSE and A-level pupils within grades

Schools will rank their GCSE and A-level pupils within each grade under a new system of assessment drawn up for this summer. Following the announcement that all exams this academic year have been cancelled due to the coronavirus, Ofqual has released details of the standardised assessment process that will take their place. Guidance released by […]

Coronavirus: An explainer on how grades will be awarded this summer

Ofqual has revealed how pupils will be assessed for GCSE and A-level qualifications this summer, following the cancellation of exams. The exams regulator has published guidance for schools, along with separate guidance for teachers and a letter to pupils. Here’s our explainer on how it will all work… 1. Schools must provide a grade […]

Coronavirus: GCSE analysis gives ‘confidence’ to teacher assessment plan

An analysis showing the vast majority of predicted GCSE grades are within one grade of being correct will “give everybody confidence” in this year’s plans to replace exams. Analysis by Data Educator of 19,029 predicted grades across 22 subjects last year found that although only 40 per cent turned out to be the same as […]

Coronavirus: Schools use labs to make equipment for medics

Schools are making use of their science and design labs to produce protective equipment for medics amid pleas hospitals are running out of supplies to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. One school is using its STEM lab to make oxygen masks for a critical care unit, while others are making face visors for GPs – […]