Students in the north will be "severely disadvantaged" when taking exams next summer, says councillor

School students from the North will face "significant disadvantages" when they sit their examinations next year, says a local councillor.

Councillor Faisal Rana has written to the Secretary of State for Education demanding 'urgent action' to ensure all children sitting their GCSE and A levels are treated 'fairly and equally'.

He says the crisis has arisen because children who live in areas with high Covid-19 infection rates have been out of the classroom for longer, particularly those from the North and West Midlands who have had to self isolate away from school in far greater numbers than children elsewhere in the UK. 

Councillor Faisal Rana has written to Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, demanding a level playing field for all students when being tested next Summer.

In his letter, Councillor Rana said: "What action is your department proposing to take to remove the significant disadvantage faced by examination students this year in areas of high Covid-19 infection rates, particularly in the North and West Midlands?

"The education of these students has been severely disrupted because of the virus. In many schools, whole year groups have had to self isolate for two weeks when a student or teacher tests positive or has Covid symptoms.

"In Greater Manchester's schools, since returning following the first lockdown, the absentee rate is 12.5%, compared to just five percent nationally. In my authority, Rochdale, it has been as high as 25%.

"In some high schools, 40% of teachers and pupils have been forced to self isolate. Some year groups have had to isolate two or three times.

"The government has made funding available to help schools deal with the impact of the virus - but it cannot replace crucial time lost in the classroom. The quality of remote learning cannot replace or replicate that which takes place in school."

Councillor Rana said the Education Secretary was 'only concerned that examinations take place at all costs despite the education of thousands of children being completely disrupted because of Covid-19'.

The government, he said, should focus on fairness for children, otherwise thousands of students would be at a huge disadvantage because of lost learning time.

Councillor Rana continued: "The disruption to learning means that end of year examinations will measure not their ability or achievements, but lost teaching time.

"These young people, who are more likely to be disadvantaged for socio-economic reasons, must not be further disadvantaged by lost teaching hours they have experienced in comparison to other students nationally.

"The prime minister has made 'levelling up' of our country a priority for the government. What is your department doing to ensure thousands of our students next year have a level playing field?

"Their future prospects and careers depend on it." 

According to Councillor Rana, in Greater Manchester, the absentee rate among students is two and a half times that of the national average.

And it's not just students being forced to keep away from the classroom. Ofsted recently reported one school in the North West had 40% of teachers absent, causing havoc with the timetable.

National Association of Head Teachers general secretary Paul Whiteman said pupils and teacher attendance figures were fluctuating massively and head teachers were doing their best to help pupils catch up whilst keeping their schools running. 

But he said they were 'operating largely in the dark' because the government was 'dragging its heels'.