No exams in Wales

One thing I can say is I’m so glad I’ve retired, it’s an incredibly difficult situation for all concerned and there simply is no “right“ answer, but I’m inclined to agree that this one area surely where the whole uk should work together to make a decision. Why can’t there be an education committee with representatives from the major parties and nations?
(Imo there should have been a Covid cabinet similarly composed but that’s another story)

I agree it’s the right decision I hope England follows suit. My GD has missed so much of last year and has now been sent home with a test as one of her science classmates tested positive GD has to wait for her results to come back and she’s feeling so stressed at missing more face to face teaching, she worries she’s falling further behind other classmates who haven’t been sent home.

They don't want assessed grades.
Watching Welsh news it appears they do as not only did they miss most of last year's education, much of this year has been patchy so far too.

Teachers may have done their best but not all pupils have the right home circumstances for the best online education.

Thanks varian. So if education becomes more and more differentiated in the four countries that should be more meaningful for local communities. I think the people of Wales and Scotland have always been proud of the education they provide so I can see why the Welsh government has rushed in to take this decision.

Education is one of the policy areas devolved to the Welsh government. Although Mark Drakeford and most of his ministers belong to the Labour Party, they bring forward policies which they consider to be best for Wales, rather than toeing any party line. The Education Minister in the Welsh government, Kirsty Williams, is Liberal Democrat.

It's an issue of fairness, large numbers of children have missed most of this term already.

But if England doesn't follow suit for another few weeks then it isn't a level playing field. Think of all the confusion and stress placed on English teachers and pupils thanks to the Welsh government's premature announcement. If exams are to be cancelled then a completely different teaching style needs to be implemented. Gavin Williamson has said exams will be delayed. You'd think at a crucial time like this everyone could have decided together.
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Many of you say cancelling exams is a good idea, but what about all the students this summer who were disappointed, even furious not to have sat their exams? They don't want assessed grades.

It's completely the right decision.

Oldbat1

Correct thing to do. Better to cancel now instead of leaving things. This way means children can be assessed all the way through and checked by external teams.

and checked by external teams.

Yes, oldbat the work will be externally assessed too.

I don't have any DGC who will be affected as they are younger but I do feel that this is the right course of action and I hope that England follows suit.

Those taking exams next year missed out on so much last academic year and may have their education disrupted constantly again this year so imo it is the right decision.

Pantglas2

Of course Ellianne - all the way through this pandemic the Welsh senedd has chosen to be contrary (masks being a case in point) purely on a Labour/Tory basis. If Boris said it was raining, Drakeford would put his bikini on!

Now, that is funny Pantglas.

We seem to have 2 discussions going here:
1) that Wales might be on a different course from England whose government has yet to decide and
2) assessment should replace examinations

Can you clarify please varian? The Twitter feed seemed to be all about number 1, ie the Welsh government's decision to jump the gun.

Just to be clear, paddyanne, it's just the National 5s which have been cancelled. Highers and Advanced Highers are going ahead at the moment. I think it's a good decision and should give enough time for proper systems of continuous assessment to be worked out for National 5s.

Correct thing to do. Better to cancel now instead of leaving things. This way means children can be assessed all the way through and checked by external teams.

Of course Ellianne - all the way through this pandemic the Welsh senedd has chosen to be contrary (masks being a case in point) purely on a Labour/Tory basis. If Boris said it was raining, Drakeford would put his bikini on!

I feel very strongly that there should be a level playing field across all the home nations.

I think it is a good idea to make the decision early to save confusion and to make sure rigorous procedures are put in place. It would not be fair if some students had had much more home schooling than others whose education was not so disrupted.

Exams were cancelled in Scotland a few weeks ago ,it was felt there had been so much disruption it wasn't fair to expect young people to sit exams .I must say I agree,my GD's are young carers and they are stressed with covid in case they take it home to mum,it affects their concentration and I dont think they will be able to give their best .

That is very counterproductive isn't it Pantglas?

Hopefully better wording here: I would have thought it best, for the sake of all teachers and pupils everywhere, for the Welsh government to have waited to make a collective national announcement.

We have a Labour government here in Wales since devolution and whatever a Tory government decide in England, they will oppose it on political grounds.

If Labour had won last year, they’d have toed the party line as Mark Drakeford always aligned himself with his hero, Jeremy Corbyn.

Is this Welsh government trying to make some kind of a point? Make a decision just because they can?
I would have thought it best for both teachers and pupils to have waited to make a collective national announcement.
In my opinion a poor move.