Medicine 2020 (part 2)

[Monkey2001]

This follows on from the first thread - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3380915-Medicine-2020

Tears 🙄

What was actually said, rather than Boris Bluster:

In a statement to the House of Commons, education secretary Gavin Williamson said: “I can confirm that we will not go ahead with assessments or exams and that we will not be publishing performance tables for this academic year. We will work with the sector and Ofqual to ensure children get the qualifications that they need.”

Labour’s shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said there was widespread concern about exams.

She added: “Clarity is required about children who were due to sit their Sats, GCSEs and A levels and now will not do so. Can he tell us how decisions will be made and how they will be communicated?”

Mr Williamson responded to say he was working with Ofqual to have a detailed set of measures to ensure every child got the recognition they need for the work they have done towards GCSEs, A levels and other qualifications.

No where did they say exams are cancelled. They choose their language carefully to keep the option open to later exams.

That’s all I’ll say for now.
When I turn out to be right, I’ll be back

Exam boards are saying no examinations this summer. See WJEC statement. Clear enough for me, sadly.

Just spoke to ds. He's over the moon exams cancelled. ( Wales) it's on the wjec site apparently

Just watched Education secretary and he said no exams. They wIll still issue grades in August. There be an appeals process.More details to come tomorrow.

I am mightily proud of these selfless young men and women who give their all in the name of duty and credit of the highest order to their medical school, the Liverpool School of Medicine, who encourages and supports them in their undertakings. May these young medics pass their Finals in a few months time with flying colours! Proud also to have a nephew graduated from the same school a few years ago and is of course, currently contributing back to society - just like his dad!

peteneras I think most of the medical schools are doing this, my year 4 DS at UEA is signed up to a programme like this. No Easter break for them. They are all inspirational, aren't they? You can see why they were attracted to the caring profession.

This will potentially cause huge problems for medical school admissions. All (or pretty much) of the offers are to A grade predicted applicants. Most med schools make 800 + offers for say 300 places (an example)assuming that not all will get the grades and others wont firm them of course. So how will this work ?

Congratulations and well done, sluj, to your DS and his medical school. I'm quite convinced most medical schools are doing their parts in ways that they deem fit. Little wonder why British medical schools are world beaters and much sought after and recognised worldwide.

Yes, Oxbridge and medicine will be particularly affected by students being awarded predicted grades and may have to do something to manage their numbers. Last year some of the universities who over-recruited "bribed" students to take gap years (eg I think Exeter offered free accommodation to a certain number of students who agreed to defer). Another method would be to take on extra students for the first year, but only allow the authorised number to pass through to the second year, but that would make for an uncomfortable level of competition where your friends good scores could mean you don't make it into the next year.

As mentioned up-thread, it is likely that there will still be an impact on medical schools next year - it will be difficult to do their normal placements as the NHS is focusing on saving lives rather than teaching, so it may be a good time to defer.

Scottish exams cancelled, dd gutted, feels all her work is wasted because her prelim results weren’t good. I guess a lot will depend on he formula they use to work out grades now & how flexible unis are prepared to be

We had e mail today saying there may be further testing or assessments which may need to be externally moderated or evidenced so to continue to work hard.

This is such a mess - puts the Edexcel maths disaster from last year into perspective and that was bad enough.
I’m cautiously impressed by Gavin Williams though. He, unusually for the current administration, is good at getting to grips with the detail.
Keeping fingers crossed there’s clarity for all the DCs expecting to take exams soon.
DS just had his Skype interview with Aberdeen. Instead of the full hour, they had to compress it into less than 30mins as they messed up the comms.
It was all a bit rushed and sweaty tbh 🤦🏾‍♀️.

Oh well, staggering on. There are so many suffering worse deprivations because of all this.
My lovely neighbour’s only daily outing is to get her shopping and newspaper from the M&S at the petrol station.
She just wants bread, milk, eggs and the odd bit of fruit or veg but, by time she makes it there, the first three have sold out.
I haven’t been able to find any eggs for her and the sliced white she likes is also vanishing from shelves.

I think the small shops are better than the chains - here at least ( rural)

That’s good to hear.
Unfortunately here in London the badly leaked threat of a lockdown has seen the stockpilers denude the large stores before moving to the littler high street supermarkets and they’ve now descended on the corner shops and petrol stations.
My best hope is that their fridges, freezers, cupboards, cellars and garages are full soon!

Oh dear sorry to hear that.

Barts have done OSCE’s for all finalists, despite the pressures. Ist year timetable is carrying on as planned online with teaching and pbls on skype. Exams still scheduled to take place later in year.

Impressive from Barts!

Peteneras , quick update, you probably don't remember but some 5 years ago it was your sound advice that helped my DS get into medical school after Winchester Pre-U fiasco. He is now a 4th year at Liverpool, studying like mad and waiting for the call, should it come, at present 5th year only may volunteer. He is so happy in the North West. Renewed thanks from us both.

Monkey - yes, there are quite a few memes shared among the students about how no one is going to get through Barts without doing absolutely every single exam - they are talking about October now for first year exams - everyone has to pass in order to get into 2nd year. They may start term late.

What does anyone think will happen regarding private accommodation contracts for next year? Would there be any get-out if terms are delayed/online do you think, bearing in mind extraordinary circumstances?

There will be legal hassles for yrs to come, Baytree.

Oh dear, that doesn’t sound good.

@Baytreemum I think we just have to hope that they will be back in the Autumn and the talk of further delays is just over-cautious.

In case parents of current Y13 (and Y11) have not seen it, the govt have clarified the exam situation here www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-cancellation-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2020/coronavirus-covid-19-cancellation-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2020