To think there's another Boris U-turn fast approaching

[SackTheLotOfThem]

In view of Wales' latest decision to cancel GCSEs:

www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-54888376

What u turn, you think he’s going to close schools?

No @AcornAutumn cancel the exams

Hopefully although I'm not sure if the pressure of continuous assessment is that much better.

God I hope so

Yup, I reckon so.

I hope so but don't know if he will.

My son is in yr 11. He has escaped isolation so far but there have been a few cases in his yr. Some unlucky people people are on their 3rd isolation period. They've been at home for 6 out of 8 school weeks!

I thought they had already been cancelled? Scotland made this decision ages ago.

I hope so too, also parent of a year 11. They have missed too much school to do normal exams next summer

I hope not but we’ve been very lucky no positive cases, so can see others would have different experiences

Ofsted person on R4 talking about better to keep goals to aim for. This is true here

@combatbarbie no, Scotland and now Wales have made that decision, but nothing for England's exams yet

Some tory MPs have been tweeting today about what a crazy idea this in Wales. So yeah, there'll probably be a u-turn to embarrass them thats what normally happens.

DS1 in Yr 13 and DS2 in Yr 11. They are having continuous assessments at the moment (as a PP said) and the pressure is horrific. You don't have enough time to 'get' things especially in maths, science etc and you have the fear of fouling up once in a mock and being stuffed really early on.
The situation is so awful for our young people. The mental health consequences will be dire. DS2 has already had a panic attack. What are we doing to our children?

They were talking about adapted exams at one point, shorterand held earlier. There has to be a better way than cancelling and the can of worms that teacher assessment and class ranking opens ( and I say that as a teacher).

MagicMabel.
That is what we are finding too. The continuous assessment, not knowing what may count is extremely stressful. Each test feels like it may be the final grade. Much better to have a guarantee of an exam and a date, with provisions for any students who may be isolating at the time.

My y11 DS will be massively disappointed if they cancel them. He's been working his ass off for mocks just in case it happens but he'd rather do the exams properly. It's all school talk about from y7 onwards isn't it! It's all a mess ☹️

They're not truly cancelled though are they? It will be an externally set assessment marked (I assume) under exam conditions, but held in the classroom, and will take place earlier than normal GCSE's.

It's pretty much still an exam, no?

It won't be fast approaching. It will be long after all GCSE/A Level students and their teachers have descended into a state of complete panic, unsure whether they are having exams or not having exams, and after half a dozen protestations that there will be no U turn.

Then we might see a change of mind.

I hope not, it really throws home-educated kids (like mine) who are due to take exams next year under a bus

My DS is in Year 13 too and suffers anxiety. I have to agree with @MagicMabel, wondering what are we doing to our kids.

He won't do it yet though will he, he will wait till the last possible minute when it can cause maximum disruption. He does it so much I think it must be deliberate.

It's being reported England will go ahead with the plan to hold the exams later, (which seems to make sense in a way as gives more time to prepare)

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/nov/10/wales-government-no-gcse-a-levels-exams-next-summer

@Krook sorry to hear that, what the hell will happen to HE kids?

It would be very unfair to announce this say in Jan if the assessments are to take place in a few weeks surely

Wouldn't put it past them though

This sort of commentary really annoys me - talks of u-turns.

I’m in no way a Boris fan. But if a decision is made to not run the exams surely that is reacting to an ever changing landscape and feedback.

If they didn’t / don’t change their minds they’d be criticised for not being flexible. If they do it’s called a u-turn.

As I said, I’m not a Boris fan but I really don’t think phrases like u-turn and criticising changes does his opponents any favours with the neutrals.

Magicmabel is right.

DD is in year 10 and they've been told that they'll be continuingly assessed just in case the exams don't happen in 2022!! Nobody should be under that sort of pressure for 2 years. She's a worrier at the best of times.

However, she's just started a second period of isolation for this term so its clear something has got to be done but 2 years of constant assessment does not seem the way forward :(