Teachers have urged parents not to send their children to school unless absolutely necessary, amid concerns schools are overwhelmed by the number of vulnerable children and children of key workers in their care. By Greg Hurst and Nicola Woolcock, The Times. The article quotes Andrew Halls, head of King's College School, Wimbledon.
Teachers in Scotland have asked for more clarity on assessment requirements and who should be in school, amid confusion over the different approaches to closures enforced across the country. By Henry Hepburn, Tes. An article in The Herald reports supply teachers in Scotland may be left without pay during the coronavirus pandemic due to the nature of their work. By Jasper Hamill.
The Daily Mail reports teachers could ask parents for documentation to prove they are key workers, amid disputes over which children are entitled a place in school. By Josh White. The article quotes Neil Roskilly, chief executive of the Independent Schools Association. The Telegraph reports some parents have threatened schools with legal action after their children were denied places at school today. By Camilla Turner.
The Government has announced students are to receive GCSE and A-level grades based on the work they have done so far, and will have the opportunity to sit an exam in autumn if they wish. By Eleanor Busby, The Independent. The International Baccalaureate has announced this summer's exams will not go ahead, and that pupils' coursework and other assessment data would be used as a basis for students' grades. By Catherine Lough, Tes. Richard Cairns, head of Brighton College, writes in The Times arguing while the cancellation of exams is a "terrible blow" to students, "it is the right thing to do".
Eton College is staying open throughout the coronavirus pandemic to teach hundreds of vulnerable children and children of key workers. The school's kitchen will provide children with meals and prepare food for those on free school meals in the local community. By Alice Thomson, The Times. The article quotes Simon Henderson, head of the school.
Tom Daggett, an organist from St Paul's Cathedral School, has been sharing recordings of children at the school singing hymns across social media under the hashtag #hymnflashmob to bring comfort to the elderly or isolated. The Sunday Times. This information can be found three quarters of the way down the page.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5's Up All Night show, Jaideep Barot, head of Bristol Grammar School, discussed how teachers and pupils are preparing for the switch to online learning. Listen from 13:40.
Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the ISC, has encouraged parents of independently-educated children to continue to pay their school fees while schools are closed, saying independent schools are small businesses which "intend to keep going as far as they reasonably can". By Tom Morgan and Phoebe Southworth, The Telegraph.
The Internet Watch Foundation has warned children may be at greater risk of online grooming as they spend more time on the internet while schools are closed. Tes.
Schools Week outlines six key takeaways from the Department for Education's latest guidance for schools. By Freddie Whittaker.
