Exam candidates who have tested positive for Covid will be able to sit positive within four days - provided they test negative - in new rules being brought in this year. The new rule is among a series of measures to support pupils taking the first summer exams since 2019 amid continued pandemic disruption this academic year.
Fees for exam appeals will also be waived for the most disadvantaged learners in Wales this summer, Education Minister Jeremy Miles said on May 3. He laid out the measures to help as he announced new rules for Covid restrictions in schools to bring them in line with businesses and other organisations.
The waiver was among a number of measures aimed at helping make exams fairer. Appeals or not, headteachers have warned this summer’s GCSEs, AS and A levels cannot be equitable because of the huge variations in Covid disruption for individuals and schools since September. One headteacher even branded the system "immoral"
Thousands of pupils have been sent home to learn again this academic year, sometimes because they or peers have Covid, or because teachers are absent and there is no supply cover. Some exam candidates have had no subject specific teachers for weeks. Others have had specialist teachers all the way through and rarely been absent.
Acknowledging the continued Covid disruption would affect exams this term the Minister said data on disadvantaged pupils would also be shared with university admissions service UCAS.
Speaking at the Welsh Government lunchtime briefing Mr Miles had this message for pupils taking exams : “I want to reassure you that this term’s exams have been designed to be as fair as possible and take into account the disruption you’ve faced due to the pandemic.
“There’s lots of support available to help you prepare and there will be support to guide you after you’ve sat your assessments.”
These are the new rules for exam candidates with Covid
The Education Minister and Health Minister have agreed that an exception will be made for exam candidates who have recently tested positive for Covid but who feel well enough to sit their exam.
Candidates with Covid who are due to sit an exam can start testing on day three and four of their isolation period. If they feel well enough they may sit their exam from day four after the initial positive test result.
Exam board the WJEC has designed the exam time table to schedule exams 10 days apart. That means an individual who tests positive for Covid will only miss one component of their qualification, Education Minister Jeremy Miles said.
The WJEC will also be publishing guidance “imminently” including special considerations.
As well as making funding available to pay for appeals for disadvantaged pupils the Welsh Government is changing legislation to enable it to share free school meal data with universities and providing “better data” for universities on learners from Wales who are, or have previously been, eligible for free school meals.
“This is to help widen access to university for our most disadvantaged young people.
We aim to enable this to happen for Clearing and confirmation this year and in every year in future.
“Schools, colleges and others who support learners through the application and exams process have been able to inform universities through a supporting statement of where a learner has, for example, been eligible for financial support from their college.
“Their remains an opportunity to inform universities about ongoing Covid disruption.
“The Welsh Government has asked local authorities and further education colleges to come together urgently to ensure that young people most in need are receiving bespoke personalised support to enable them to transition to their next steps.”
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