Covid-19: Impact on Schools and Exams — [James Gray in the Chair.]

The MP expressed concern about the disparity in support for students during the pandemic, highlighting how some have had access to online and in-school resources while others, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have faced significant challenges. He cited a constituent's petition that received 169,000 signatures, emphasizing the difficulty of catching up on missed educational hours due to repeated self-isolation periods.

The lockdown has severely impacted education, widening educational divides due to lack of equipment and connectivity for disadvantaged students. Exams were cancelled this year, leading to uncertainty and disappointment among students who missed out on university places. The pandemic's impact on mental health is profound, with some struggling with isolation and loss of support networks. Schools need Government support to prioritise wellbeing.

Helen Hayes highlighted the insufficient provision of laptops, tablets, and wi-fi to support remote learning during lockdown. She also raised concerns about reimbursement for extra costs incurred by schools due to covid-19 measures and expressed worry over potential long-term disadvantages in exam results. Some schools in my constituency have received no reimbursement from the Government despite claiming for costs incurred over the summer. Schools are struggling to balance their books this year.

Jane Hunt opposed closing schools and colleges due to the negative impacts on education, health, and mental well-being of young people. She cited ONS data that identifies teaching as a low-risk profession and praised local schools for their efforts in ensuring safety while minimizing educational disruption.

Jim Shannon expressed concern about parents' valid concerns regarding their children's safety during the pandemic. He also highlighted teachers' worries for the health of their families and students struggling with remote learning due to lack of support. Shannon emphasised the importance of providing necessary social interaction and foundation for learning, urging the government to protect children's education.

Mark Pawsey raised concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on exams and school closures, noting that students from disadvantaged backgrounds have missed out significantly compared to their peers. He highlighted a case where a student was estimated to miss 270 hours of teaching time due to lockdowns, equivalent to two GCSEs' worth. Pawsey supported the Government's plan for delayed exams but stressed the need for fairness and accuracy in measuring attainment. He also discussed the proposed two-week school lockdown from December 10th, suggesting it would be disruptive and disproportionately affect disadvantaged students who have already missed many hours of education.

Peter Gibson praised the efforts of schools in Darlington during the pandemic, highlighting the importance of keeping children in school for their education, social development, and mental health. He welcomed recent measures announced by the Government to support students through exams and acknowledged concerns from constituents about closing schools but cited expert advice supporting open schools.

Ms. Maskell expressed concern about the national tutoring programme, suggesting that schools should have control over resources to deliver it more effectively. She also supported closing schools early before Christmas to mitigate infections and emphasised the mental health impact on students due to school absences. Ms. Maskell highlighted disparities in exam performance based on gender and socio-economic status, advocating for a hybrid model of assessment with coursework. She cited research indicating that teacher assessments are as reliable as formal exams and noted the detrimental effect of exams on children's mental health. The announcement that pupils will receive advance notice of topics at the end of January does not provide adequate preparation for mock exams, leaving young people unsure about the new exam environment.

The return to exams in 2021 may not level the playing field due to varying school attendance across the country and potential self-isolation. Teacher assessments work well, and Wales has a flexible approach that includes externally set and marked classroom assessments. England should consider similar measures to give pupils more time to learn. The Government must provide clarity on exam topics and boundaries to reduce uncertainty and stress for students.

Mr Streeting expressed concerns about the Government's handling of exams, attendance, and funding for schools during the pandemic. He cited the failure to address inequities in exam results last year, lack of preparation for this year's exams, poor management of pupil attendance data, inadequate support for vulnerable children, insufficient provision of laptops and internet access for home learning, and underfunding of tutoring programmes.