Mock/real exams

[WindFlower92]

How is everyone else running these? We've got our year 11s in this week same as normal, all in the main hall with no masks, teachers expected to be walking up and down and answering questions. Is there any guidance on how to run these in a covid safe way? We've had a positive case in year 11 a couple of days ago and I'm meant to be invigilating tomorrow so I'm nervous about being in a hall filled with this bubble who haven't been sent home! Am I mad to say that I'm not happy about it as I want to keep 2m away from pupils at all times? What are other schools doing?

I am assuming you are in an academy? If not you should not be invigilating covid or not as it breaks the terms of your contract.

I’d be really interested in knowing how schools are providing access arrangements for their y11 students during mocks. Our TAs are going to be reading and scribing as usual, but separated from students with plastic screens, similar to those in some supermarkets. I think this affords them little protection given the length of time some exams will take. They can’t sit 2 meters away because several students will be taking their exams in the same location, spaced out of course, each with a TA. We’ve already had staff and students with positive cases. I don’t think any guidance has been issued, but would be very happy to stand corrected.

Not an academy @noideaatallreally! Why does it breach my contract?

@Umbrella97 our TAs in class are just sat next to the pupils, so I assume that's what they'll do in exams? Definitely would like to see some guidance!

We're not doing our mocks until January but they'll be the same as their delayed end of years. In the hall with external invigilators. Our students wear masks in all indoor areas so classrooms and exam halls too

Have teacher pay and conditions changed? I believed that teachers no longer do any exam invigilation unless their input may be required. So, in my school paid invigilators for all exams except art, MFL, English speaking and listening. Anything that does not require a teacher's professional judgement is covered so bulk photocopying, putting up displays, cover for absent colleagues (except in an emergency) etc. I really hope all of this is not being forgotten as we fought long and hard for this. I am not blaming teachers btw but once one thing slides then it is easy for senior management to allow other things to slip under the net.

Or perhaps I was just fortunate that we did not cover exams in my school. I have recently left teaching so not sure if the the STPC is applied in all schools.

Also sure we can't invigilate any more - not for a good few years in fact. We have brought in external staff for mocks since rarely cover was introduced I think.

In terms of access, staff are in masks and visors in the rooms with the kids. Kids in main hall spaced out as they would be anyway pre covid.

We have occasionally been asked to help out driving etc but this has always and only been on a voluntary basis.

From the NEU website - though I can't find a date on the document -

The STPCD requires teachers to cover “rarely, and only in
circumstances that are not foreseeable” ie in genuine emergencies.
Asking teachers to cover in other circumstances, such as for planned
absences, is unacceptable.
Administrative and clerical tasks
The STPCD continues to provide that teachers cannot be required
routinely to carry out such tasks. Appendix 3 sets out the STPCD’s
former list of examples of such tasks for guidance. Teachers should not
carry out time-consuming tasks which do not require their professional
expertise and staff should consider whether the work is necessary at all.
Invigilating exams
The STPCD says that teachers cannot, other than in a few exceptions, be
required to invigilate public examinations. If your school has slipped back
into using teachers, it’s time to address this before the next exam season.

Interesting @asifiwould, and this is the case for mocks as well? And teachers are frequently asked to cover planned things like hospital appointments, so should we refuse to cover these?

In my school we did not cover for any exams, real or mocks when the timetable was suspended and hall etc were used. Obviously if it was a class test in our own room then we covered.

We also did not cover hospital appointments unless they were a last minute type booking. At times if we were very short of cover the cover supervisor would ask for volunteers.

My concern is that this seems to be gradually eroding away in schools. Newer teachers often don't know about these rules, and, I have to say it, will sometimes willingly do pointless admin or exam cover because they see this as a way of getting on in their career. I was the miserable old bugger in the corner who said no. If cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would willingly give up their time to invigilate an exam. I always had a million other things I needed to do and being trapped in the hall for an hour was no way to help my workload issues. But then of course I had nearly 30 years of a teaching career behind me. I knew I had climbed as far as I wanted to. I also knew the value of my time and to be honest I was burnt out byt the time I finally threw in the towel.

We just don't even get asked! They generally have outside invigilators but not enough so I guess a lot of teachers wouldn't feel comfortable refusing on the day. Aaagh I'm definitely going off my school this year, so many issues!

I know - it's very hard to say no - especially when there are people who are happy enough to do it. I was more than prepared to dig my heels in as my career was clearly coming to an end. But then I remember the days of the strike over workload and had only just started teacher training after the introduction of Baker Days (INSET) so worked with plenty of people who still resented losing a week of their holiday for them.

If doing exam invigilation, covering for absent colleagues, collecting money for nonuniform days/school trips/ photos, inputting duplicate data and bulk photocopying were so important the we would all see management doing those tasks too!