UK coronavirus: students get GCSE results as BTecs are delayed – live news

Nearly 550,000 pupils in England will receive GCSE results awarded entirely by assessment for first time, but BTec students face further disruptionOfqual ignored exams warning a month ago amid ministers’ pressureDisadvantaged pupils will be biggest winners from GCSE resultsFollow global coronavirus developments See all our coronavirus coverage 8.58am BST Gibb also confirmed that concerns the algorithm used to determine grades could impact poorer pupils were expressed to him. While he said he decided to hold a meeting to discuss them, a plan ministers now admit was seriously flawed went ahead.Asked about reports in the Times that suggested Sir Jon Coles – a former director-general at the Department for Education – wrote to Williamson early last month to express concerns about the algorithm used by Ofqual, Gibb told Today:He spoke to me about it and he was concerned about the model and he was concerned that it would disadvantage particularly children from poorer backgrounds. And so I called a meeting therefore with the independent regulator, with Ofqual, to discuss in detail those very concerns. 8.51am BST The threat to Gavin Willamson’s position is not abating.The Scottish Tory leader, Douglas Ross, has refused to give him his backing, saying he should “reflect on what happened”.I think Gavin Williamson and the government and the Department for Education will be reflecting on why did they not see the problem that the SNP had to deal with as a result of their actions in Scotland.That is a decision for Gavin Williamson. It’s a decision for the prime minister, if he continues to have the trust of the prime minister.I’m not here to say in your report that I think Gavin Williamson has done a great job and he should continue. I think he has to reflect on what happened to so many pupils in England, students who were concerned for four days, because we had the exact same up here in Scotland for a week. Continue reading... https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/aug/20/uk-coronavirus-covid-19-england-students-gcse-results-btec-controversy-live-news #coronavirus_outbreak #education #gcses #a-levels #sixth_form #exams #schools #boris_johnson #gavin_williamson #infectious_diseases #politics #uk_news #science #medical_research