Home Education: Coronavirus

(asked on 15th July 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has he made of the effect on the mental well-being of home-schooled children of those children being unable to receive predicted grades for GCSE’s.


Answered by
Vicky Ford Portrait
Vicky Ford
This question was answered on 20th July 2020

We appreciate that many private candidates will be concerned about their GCSE results. We know that the COVID-19 outbreak is likely to affect the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, including in the longer term.

We have been working with health partners such as Public Health England and Health Education England to provide resources and guidance to support and promote the mental health of children and young people during the COVID-19 outbreak. We have signposted resources on supporting and promoting mental wellbeing in the list of resources to help children who are learning at home. The government has also provided additional funding to mental health charities to adapt, expand and reach out to those children who are most vulnerable. The list of resources is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources#mental-wellbeing.

The Ofqual guidance for teachers, students, parents and carers explains the options available for private candidates to be awarded grades this year. Ofqual has asked organisations that represent further education providers to consider steps that they could take when making admissions decisions this summer for any private candidates who do not receive a grade. We understand that institutions will consider a range of other evidence and information for these students to allow them to progress wherever possible. The Ofqual guidance is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2020.

There will be an opportunity for students to sit exams in the autumn term, if they feel their calculated grade does not reflect their ability.

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