coronavirus | Schools Week

Coronavirus: Spielman to preside over inspection deferral decisions

The chief inspector of schools will personally sign off any decision not to defer Ofsted inspections of schools affected by coronavirus, it has been announced. Sean Harford, the watchdog’s national director of education, told the ASCL conference today that Ofsted will “look very favourably” on any requests for deferral as a result of coronavirus. Requests […]

Coronavirus: Schools won’t be penalised for absences, says Williamson

Schools will not be penalised for issues “that are completely outside their control”, Gavin Williamson has said, amid concerns about pupil absences caused by coronavirus. The education secretary told journalists at the ASCL conference in Birmingham this afternoon that the Department for Education would be taking a “sensible and pragmatic approach” to things like absences […]

Coronavirus: Williamson pledges exams will be ‘fair’ for pupils

The government is “doing everything to make sure” this summer’s exams are fair for pupils and their efforts are “fairly rewarded” amid the coronavirus pandemic, Gavin Williamson has said. Addressing the ASCL union conference this morning, the education secretary said concerns about exams were “only to be expected, especially when so much hard work has […]

Coronavirus: Heads summoned to DfE meeting to discuss potential school closures

Leadership unions and academy representatives have been summoned to the Department for Education to discuss schools’ response to coronavirus. Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the ASCL union, said today that his organisation, along with the National Association of Headteachers and Confederation of School Trusts, have been asked to attend a meeting on Monday about […]

No school closures yet as government moves to coronavirus ‘delay’ phase

Closing schools at this stage in the spread of the coronavirus epidemic could do “more harm than good”, Boris Johnson has warned, as he announced closures are not yet on the cards despite an escalation of the government’s response. The prime minister yesterday reiterated advice that schools “should only close if they are specifically advised […]

‘Big Bang’ STEM education event cancelled over coronavirus fears

A science and engineering fair for school pupils due to be held in Birmingham this week has been cancelled because of coronavirus. Organisers of the Big Bang UK young scientists and engineers fair, which was due to take place at the National Exhibition Centre from Wednesday to Saturday, said cancellation was the “most appropriate decision […]

Coronavirus: Schools could be forced to take extra pupils under government contingency plans

The government could close schools and order others to take extra pupils from elsewhere under new coronavirus contingency plans being drawn up in Whitehall. Boris Johnson has said that schools should not close “in principle”, and Public Health England has said they should remain open unless told otherwise. What it will expose, I think, is […]

Coronavirus: Schools need guidance after rise in racist abuse, says union

A teaching union has written to Gavin Williamson to demand guidance for schools on how to tackle racist incidents related to the spread of coronavirus. NASUWT said it had received reports of “increased covert and overt racial attacks perpetrated against some minority ethnic pupils and NASUWT members linked to coronavirus concerns”. Chris Keates, the acting […]

School closures could be considered to ‘delay’ spread of Coronavirus

Schools could be closed across the UK in order to slow the spread of Coronavirus, according to a government action plan published today. The UK, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments have published a joint Coronavirus action plan, which provides a guide to what people can expect as the country deals with the virus. According […]