There are two very important developments for schools this week. The first is the Prime Minister’s planned announcement regarding a return for all students from Monday 8th March. We will consider the detail of his announcement and the updated guidance from the Department of Education, and share plans with you as soon as we are able. Over the next few days we will consider all the advice and guidance before communicating our plans with the wider school community.
The second significant development this week relates to Ofqual’s plans for grading Years 11, 12 and 13. News reports suggest that those plans will be shared after the Prime Minister’s announcement, with a proposed release date of Thursday 25th February. Ofqual’s plan will have profound implications for students, their families and for all school staff. Therefore, we will take time to process the information when released and will then share our plans when we are confident of the detail. I’m aware that all members of our school community will want clarity as quickly as possible. It is also extremely important that we share plans that are evidence based and accurate to avoid confusion. With that in mind, we will offer an update as soon as we have had the opportunity to fully consider the detail of Ofqual’s published plans. Any decisions and action taken will be with the best interests of our students at the centre. We want to be able to communicate with clarity and confidence.