Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about keeping schools and colleges safe.

I pay tribute to the teachers, head teachers, school staff, university and further education college staff and others for making it possible for our children and young people to return to their education.

It must be ensured that schools stay open, that parents and teachers are supported, and that pupils get all the help they need to catch up.

Furthermore, it is essential that children do not further lose out on time in the classroom because of a shortage of tests available. Parents should be guaranteed a test for their child within 24 hours and the result back 24 hours later.

I agree with you that there needs to be fairness for students on exams next year. I am concerned that the failure to effectively manage the exams and assessments processes for summer 2020 caused enormous anxiety for many children and young people, as well as their families and teachers.

As you may be aware, on 12 October 2020, the Government announced exams will go ahead next summer, “underpinned by contingencies for all possible scenarios.” It stated that most AS, A levels and GCSEs will be held three weeks later to help address the disruption caused by the pandemic.

I am pleased that the Government has listened to calls for exams to be delayed, but it could have done this weeks ago to give schools more time to prepare. A delay is necessary but not enough to make exams fair for all. The Government must ensure that every pupil gets the support they need to catch up, and that they look at other possibilities to make exams fairer.

The priority must always be saving lives, minimising harm and keeping our children in school. Until a vaccine is discovered and distributed, that depends on driving the R value to below 1 with containment measures, social distancing and an effective test, trace and isolate strategy led by local directors of public health.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP