EASTER REVISION 2022 – MATHEMATICS

At Summit Saturday School we “give you the Tools to Climb Mountains”

Gaining the knowledge needed to get the grades you want.

Mathematics Revision classes start week commencing 4 April 2022 for 2 weeks. GCSE, AS, A LEVEL.


Venue:

Summit Saturday School (Family Centre)
Benson Court
Hartington Road
London SW8 2EX

We offer a course of either 6 or 12 lessons

Lessons are timetabled between 9am – 12.00pm
Minimum booking is 6 lessons and fees are payable in full, in advance.
One to One tuition is also available

Our teachers work in mainstream schools (grammar or private). Some are heads of department, all are experts. If, due to COVID, you have missed vital tuition, this is an ideal opportunity to “catch-up”.

The course will focus on the Edexcel Specification you are studying at school. It will concentrate on the topics you find most challenging.

Lessons are taught by these professional, experienced teachers who have years of experience teaching and marking Edexcel GCSE, AS and A Level mathematics. Expect your grades to improve significantly.

Your lessons will also include:
Revision techniques and exam techniques.

How to book:

Register on our Contact Us page:

Please Tell us
• the topics you need help with.
• Your Edexcel entry code(s)
• Number of days tuition you require (6 or 12)

When we receive your registration document we will contact you to discuss timetabling, fees and dates available.

PLACES ARE LIMITED and are offered on a “first come first serve basis”

Autumn Exam series 2021

Ofqual published the decision on an Autumn 2021 examination series on 4th May 2021:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-arrangements-for-an-autumn-2021-exam-series/outcome/consultation-decisions-arrangements-for-gcse-as-and-a-level-exams-in-autumn-2021-html

Exam boards have been instructed to offer subjects in GCSE, AS and A Level examinations, but only certain subjects will be available at AS level. These include Biology, Chemistry , Physics, Maths and Further Maths.

Students who are unhappy with their Teacher Assessed Grades, (TAGs), will be able to enter examinations in the Autumn Series for a higher grade. A Level examinations will be held in October and GCSE examinations will be in November and December 2021. A full range of AS examinations will not be offered.

Eligibility

All students who entered to receive a Teacher Assessed Grade in June 2021 will be allowed to sit examinations in the Autumn. This rule will apply to all GCSE and A Level subjects with the exception of GCSE English Language and Mathematics which are normally offered in the Autumn term.

Exam boards will request evidence from students to confirm that they were entered in the Summer for teacher assessed grades. Private candidates will also need to satisfy Centres that they are eligible to be entered for examinations in the autumn. Students may also find that they have to go back to the original entering Centre to be entered and sit examinations in the autumn.

Private Candidates are the exception to this rule as it will be more difficult to determine their intent than it is for students who are in school.

Summer 2021 Examinations cancelled

There will be no GCSE, AS or A Level Examinations in 2021

Following a public consultation in January 2021, the Government and Ofqual announced that the Summer examinations for GCSE, AS and A Level will be cancelled and replaced with teacher assessed grades.
This decision was taken due to the disruption caused by COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. These situations meant that students lost much face-to-face teaching (which was replaced with a degree of remote learning). These measures impacted all students, and it was decided that examinations would not be fair due to the disruption.
Ofqual has issued guidance on how grades are to be determined for all students. Private candidates have been dealt with separately.

Guidance for teachers in assessing their student’s grades using evidence in the form of:

  • assessments provided by the exam board, including exam questions, past papers, practice or sample papers.
  • coursework, even if this has not been fully completed.
  • any test taken in class
  • substantial class or homework (including work done during remote learning)
  • any mock exams taken.
  • records of your capability and performance during the course in performance-based subjects like music, drama and PE.
  • records of student’ progress and performance over the course of study.

Students will not have to sit formal exams or full exam papers rather, short topic based papers will be given as part of the assessment.
Ofqual has published guidance to students and parents

https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/JCQ-Guidance-for-Students-and-Parents-on-Summer-2021.pdf

Results: GCSE AS and A Level fees will be published early:
GCSE 10th August
AS and A Level 12th August

Private Candidates:

  • students who have chosen to be home educated
  • Independent adult learners
  • Individuals who are alternatively educated

The deadline for Private Candidates has been extended from 21st February to 26th April. This gives them the opportunity to search for an examination centre willing to give them an assessed grade.
A separate guidance has been published by DfE and Ofqual specifically for Private Candidates.
Private candidates may choose to have an assessed grade if their university place could be in jeopardy.
All students who have been assessed will have the opportunity to appeal.

The DfE have also consulted on an Autumn exam series in 2021 which appears to be going ahead.

GCSE Mathematics Scholarship At Summit

A Scholarship has been established for one year’s tuition fees, to support a worthy dedicated GCSE student enrolled at Summit Saturday School, to study Mathematics with an outstanding Mathematics Specialist.

The Scholarship has been set up by Mechel McPhee, Mother of Tiyrese-Jerome Engena who attended Summit Saturday School from age 8.

Here is her story:

When you know that you had given birth to not only a blessing, but that which is packed with purpose, then you know that the education system will try to destroy his destiny. With that in mind, I was prepared to roll up my sleeve and fight. The system could not see what I saw in my son, or they were refusing to accept what they saw.

TJ’s first primary school was an experience he and I will never forget.  It brought out things that I never knew I had in me as his mother. During this season and (I call it so as seasons don’t last), I felt like a lioness protecting her cub. Not one day was the same and at one point I felt as if I was going to lose my mind, my son, and my job because of the system, but I remembered who gave me this child and what He, (God) had said about this child, so I dug deep, dried my eyes, straightened my back and went back on the battlefield, feeling more determined than ever. 

I was constantly feeding TJ positivity, not once did I show any negativity, it was positivity for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The straw that broke the camel’s back was when school arranged for TJ to be assessed by a Child Psychologist. After one hour with TJ the Child Psychologist looked at me and said “Mrs Engena there is nothing wrong with your son, he is just being a normal child that was brought up in an affectionate home environment. So, armed with that information, I went back to the school. 

I gave the school a couple days to go through the report the Child Psychologist whom they had referred us to had written. A few days later, a meeting was called. During the meeting they informed us that the report from the Child Psychologist wasn’t reliable and they had decided, that in order for TJ to continue attending the school, he had to be assessed by another Child Psychologist who specialises in Cognitive and Behavioural Psychology, which we had to agree to. At the end of TJ’s assessment, the psychologist came up with various diagnoses and recommended that TJ’s school was not able to meet his needs.

A Special Needs school was recommended for TJ. The school and ourselves began searching for schools but any school my husband and I recommended was dismissed. When they finally found a school and we visited to have a look around, we were totally disappointed with what we saw. The school looked like a prison from outside, we did not even recognise or realise it was a school at first. Once in the building, it was like a neglected mental hospital in the nazi era. The young people were walking around unsupervised, their clothes we’re messy, they were swearing and at that point TJ held on to my hands tightly and said to me and his father, “Mummy please don’t send me here I beg you” and at that point I took my son and left that system.

I took TJ out of St Matthew and enrolled him into the primary school his brother attended. St Matthew tried several times to contacted us to ascertained what school TJ was attending for them to send his school reports over. I informed the school that TJ was no longer in the UK, “Yes I lied and I will do it again, if I was in the same position because I felt that TJ needed a new beginning, and if they had found the same issue with TJ I would have accepted his diagnoses.

So began our journey with Summit Saturday school. Mrs Stewart, I believe, felt my pain, and saw my anguish. At her first meeting with TJ, I knew she saw in him what I had seen from the beginning. Mrs Stewart laid out Summit’s vision, purpose an expectations. She explained to TJ what she expected of him and that the ball was in his court and that the Sky wasn’t the limit.  Mrs Stewart took him under her wings and in TJ first year at Summit, he had moved from level 4 to level 5. 

Tiyrese enjoyed Mathematics also English. He wrote several thought provoking poems, (one of which he was asked to read aloud in school assembly). His teachers at school doubted that he had written them but, several others followed, which left them in no doubt about his creativity. TJ became the first recipient of The Nicola Henry Scholarship Award, given to Summit pupils who exhibited considerable potential.

He received an award in his second year at Summit for “Most Improved Child”. Not only was TJ doing well at Summit, but the child who was behind in class at his primary school was now at the level of and more with his peers. TJ’s time at Summit continued to produce excellent results, when TJ took his SATs he achieved Level 5.

Since he started his new primary school, we only received one complaint of bad behaviour from his teacher, which TJ explained was due to being picked on by another child. TJ continued with Summit until High School, Year 10, and was encouraged by Mrs Stewart to take two subjects in his GCSEs early. TJ sat his English and Maths GCSEs, gaining C in English and D in Mathematics. TJ would have continued which Summit if I did not made the decision to move out of London due to my ill health and what was happening in London at the time namely, the gang violence.

I have written this brief insight into TJ’s life, as I want to encourage parents out there to know your child/ren enough to know that when the system tries to define them in a manner that goes against the foundation you have laid, and that what you know about them is the truth, you get ready to fight, with a “no giving up attitude”. I look on TJ today with all that he has been through and what he has accomplished and is about to accomplish, mostly on his own. I am the proudest mother around. I also thank God who has been through all of this with us for his endless Grace, favour and for never giving up on us.

Becoming a Sponsor is to show our immense appreciation for what Mrs Stewart and Summit School have done for Tiyrese-Jerome Engena(TJ).

The recipient of the GCSE Mathematics Award in 2020 is Lucas Bardot.

Black History Month

Frederick McKinley Jones

File:Frederick McKinley Jones.jpg - Wikipedia
Mr. Frederick McKinley Jones

Frederick McKinley Jones was a great African American Inventor. He was born on 17th May 1893 in Minneapolis, USA and died on 21st February 1961. At his death he had 60 patents in his name.


During his 68 years on this planet he was acknowledged as a genius, an amazing human being and is credited with truly extraordinary inventions. His most notable, being the invention of the refrigeration process, which enabled perishable goods to be transported long distances. In fact, supermarkets may not exist today, had it not been for his invention.


As a child, it is said that he ‘loved’ to tinker with objects, always curious to find out how they worked, so inquisitive was he that he unassembled and reassembled numerous objects in the home. His father’s pocket watch was one of his first challenges, and apparently, he took it apart and reassembled it numerous times. This fascination with understanding “how things work” and finding solutions, meant that as an adult, he was the ‘go to’ person when local residents or businessmen had a problem they desperately wanted solved. Throughout his life he solved many complex problems and was sought after by industry and commerce.


He served in the US army. By profession he was a mechanic and it may be that he learned his trade whilst serving in the US army.


He was an avid reader. He taught himself electronics and was responsible for building a transmitter for his town’s radio station. He also devised a portable x-ray machine for a doctor in his town.


Due to his love of cars he was involved in the building of the first snowmobile. He invented air conditioning for vehicles. In the 1930’s together with a partner, he created microphones and transmitters.


Frederick McKinley Jones was the co-founder of Thermo King, a business which provides refrigerated transportation worldwide and is worth billions today. Where would supermarkets be today if Frederick McKinley Jones had not invented his mobile refrigeration process? This refrigeration process helped to save many lives when it was used during World War 2, to preserve blood serum and food, to save the lives of wounded soldiers. Today, the lucrative local and international exports of perishable goods owe their existence and success to him Frederick McKiney Jones.

Frederick McKinley Jones is in the USA Hall of Fame. He won the National medal of Technology and received many accolades. Throughout his lifetime he held more than 60 patents.
Some of his famous sayings include: “Believe in yourself”, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty” “You have to read!”
We salute the genius of Frederick McKinley Jones during Black History Month and always.

Autumn 2020 Examination Entries

This is an ‘exceptional Examination Series” unlike any other. The examinations have been arranged because the government ordered the closure of schools in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. All examinations were cancelled. The Autumn Examination Series is solely for students in secondary schools who, due to the pandemic, were not allowed to sit their examinations in the June 2020 and were instead given a predicted grade. This includes private candidates

Who can sit A Level and GCSE examinations in Autumn 2020?

  • Students unhappy with the calculated grade they received from their school.
  • Private candidates who intended to sit examinations in June 2020 and require their qualifications for university.
  • Home-schooled students who were unable to receive a predicted grade and need to sit examinations in the autumn to progress to the next stage of their education.
  • This series is intended solely for those students who missed out in June 2020.

Deadline to make entries

  • AS, A level – 4th September 2020
  • GCSE – 18th September
  • GCSE – 4th October 2020 (English Language and Mathematics)

Autumn exam dates:
The Autumn Examination Series starts on the following dates:
AS, A level October 4th
GCSE September 18th
GCSE English & Mathematics November 4th

The exam boards, AQA, OCR, Edexcel have made a full series of exams available in the autumn. All timetables are published on their websites. This means that students can sit any exam. Art is the only subject where coursework is required. This is significant! The marks obtained in the autumn exams will be based entirely on written papers.

Finding a Centre to host you for your Autumn 2020 exam for A level and GCSE.
You are strongly advised to find a Centre as soon as you receive your GCSE or A level results. Entries are being accepted immediately. There is a very short window in which to make entries.

  • Do your best to find a Centre close to home.
  • In anticipation of large numbers of entries, many Centres will set their closing date earlier that the awarding body’s closing date.
  • Seating capacity will be seriously restricted. Centres will be unable to accept their normal number of candidates. Therefore, our advice is to contact Centres at the earliest possible opportunity once you decide you wish to be entered for examinations in Autumn 2020.
  • Centres will have to conform to the Government’s regulations regarding Covid-19 such as social distancing. The wearing of face masks may also be compulsory.
  • Be aware of the Centre’s closing date and DO NOT attempt to make an entry on the closing date.
  • Any candidate that misses the closing date may have to wait until 2021 to sit their examinations.

Candidates may want to liaise with their chosen university when deciding whether to retake examinations in autumn 2020 or wait until 2021.

GCSE and A level Results 2020

A LEVEL results are out this Thursday (13th Aug) and GCSE results next week (20th Aug).


As you all know, examinations were cancelled this year. In their place teachers and awarding bodies have given grades to students. This will be a very anxious time for you all!
Summit Saturday School is also an Examination Centre. We have a factsheet available to anyone looking for additional guidance regarding exam results, challenging a grade or arranging a resit.


Resit opportunities will be available to students in Autumn 2020.
We are currently open for exam resit queries.

Entries for the Autumn series are being accepted from August 13th 2020.

Autumn 2020 examinations confirmed

Ofqual has now published its decision following consultation, on offering examinations in Autumn 2020.

It is confirmed that:

“Any student who was unable to receive a predicted grade  or is unhappy with their predicate grade as a result of the cancellation of examinations in the June 2020 Series due to COVID-19 , will be able to sit their examinations in Autumn 2020”

The decision in full

A full suite of GCSE, AS and A level examinations will be available  on the following dates:

  • AS, A Level: Monday 5th October – Friday 23rd October
  • GCSE: Monday 2nd November – Monday 23rd November

NEA and Practical endorsements

  • GCSE Coursework must be submitted for Art and Design.
  • A Level Science Practical Endorsements – Geography and Geology marks can be carried forward.

Entries will be accepted from August 2020.

Entry Deadlines

  • AS and A-level – 4 September 2020
  • GCSE (except English Language and Mathematics) – 18 September
  • GCSE (English Language and Mathematics) – 4 October

Results for predicted grades dates

Results for predicted grades (following the cancellation of 2019 June series due to COVID-19), will be issued on 13th August for AS and A Level and 20th August for GCSE. Basically, as soon as students receive their results, they will be in a position to decide whether they want to sit examinations in the Autumn Series which starts in October for AS and A level and November for GCSE. Students will need to contact their school’s Examination Officer or a Private Examination Centre as soon as possible.

Private candidates

Private candidates can now begin to make plans to take their examinations in October and November 2020.
Armed with the exam dates and information on Ofqual’s decisions, private candidates may want to begin making preparations to secure a place to sit their examinations and obtain their qualifications. This includes students who have been home schooled. Many have been waiting for the green light and it is imperative that they too decide what entries they want to make and speak with Examination Officers.


Exam timetables for the Autumn Series 2020 for AS, A level and GCSE are not published yet, and explain the reason why Centres cannot make entries until August.

PARENTS PLEA WITH GOVERNMENT TO POSTPONE 11+ EXAMINATIONS IN SEPTEMBER 2020

The question on the lips of so many families in England is “will the 11+ examinations be postponed in 2020 because of COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown?”

The lockdown has meant, that in some cases, the family’s focus on preparing for 11 Plus Examinations slipped when schools closed in March 2020 and it became increasingly difficult to motivate some pupils to study for their 11+ entrance tests.

Selective Grammar school’s Eleven Plus Entrance Examinations are held in September, in England, with results issued in October. Families are desperately hoping that this year, they will either be suspended or delayed.

The reason Boris Johnson’s government cancelled GCSE’s AS and A2 examinations, closed schools and imposed lockdown, was essentially to protect the NHS, reduce transmission of the disease and reduce the growing number of casualties. Families were affected in so many ways, primary aged children no less so. This decision could prove catastrophic for 11 Plus applicants.who sit examinations this September.

Some parents are stressing and are desperate for more time to get their children prepared for the 11 Plus Examinations and had hoped an alternative system could replace 11+ Entrance Tests for selective grammar schools this year, (similar to predicted grades for GCSE, AS and A Level examinations). In Northern Ireland where the 11 + Entrance Examinations take place in November; similar requests are being made.

The UK Government has received a petition to postpone 11 Plus Examinations in September 2020. The Petition was rejected, on the grounds that such decisions are not a matter for the government but for exam boards and individual grammar schools.

Parents are concerned about the stress on their 10- and 11-year olds. At the same time that schools were closed, vast amounts of Free Resources were made available online for all age groups for Mathematics, English and other subjects in the national curriculum. These FREE resources however, did not include Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, the main subjects taught and examined for 11+ Entrance Examinations, which has a specific format. With bookstores closed, parents have had to rely on resources they could find to download online.

Tutors, who play an important role in getting children ready to sit 11 Plus Examinations, found they could not travel to provide home tutoring. Face-to-face tuition had to be abandoned and lessons quickly transferred online. Distance learning is not easy or accessible to all pupils and overnight, some children had to absorb a completely new approach to learning. Those who attended tuition centres had an abrupt end to their lessons until alternative – usually – online teaching was made available. Home learning continued for some, using familiarisation papers with daily practise. There has been disruption in all areas with and for all children preparing for the Eleven Plus Examination, due to COVID-19 and the lockdown.

Countless families with children in Year 5, found themselves dealing with bereavements, fear, stress and anxiety cased by the pandemic. It is questionable how much time was devoted to 11 Plus Non-Verbal and Verbal Reasoning tuition under these circumstances. Some children simply are not mentally ready to focus on or sit Eleven Plus Examinations in September.

The expectation that the Eleven Plus Examination is a test of a child’s natural intelligence might well be put under the spotlight and scrutinised in this year’s 11 Plus Examinations, particularly among pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

All these factors provide strong grounds for requesting postponement of 11 Plus Examinations in September, perhaps moving the date a few months. Understandably, this change would be a nightmare for Grammar schools and secondary school transfer. The logistics of such a decision, painful to consider, but could result in a fairer outcome. Many schools are under pressure and face preparing for, and running examinations in the autumn for GCSE, AS and A Level students, unhappy with their predicted grade.

To date, neither the Department of Education, Local Authorities or Grammar schools have made any announcements. The only conclusion to draw, is that no action will be taken and the 11 plus examinations will go ahead in September as usual.

The selective 11 Plus Examination process is essential for high performing selective grammar schools. It ensures pupil of the right calibre join in 2021 to maintain the high educational standards at the school and its reputation.

It is expected that BAME community will be most hard hit if 11 Plus Examinations go ahead in September. Every grammar school publishes the number of spaces available for their Year 7 intake and these are fiercely contested by 11+ applicants all of whom want a place in the best schools.

It has been widely publicised that the BAME community has been disproportionately hit by deaths due to COVID 19. These children are likely to have the most fear and anxiety at this time. This may result in lower scores than ever before. Children from these families could be outperformed in this year’s 11 Plus examinations by their wealthier counterparts, many of whom attend preparatory schools. Although state primary schools are due to reopen in June, teachers are prohibited from teaching 11 Plus preparation material and their time and focus will be to get their class to catch up on the work missed during the lockdown.

A significant number of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds do not have access to laptops and computers, or printers and will have not been able to access online lessons. The gap between privileged and disadvantaged students for 11 Plus admission is expected to be the highest ever this year.

In recent years, the trend has been for some wealthy parents apply for places in grammar schools because tuition is free, rather than pay high private school fees. Securing a place at a selective grammar school is decidedly more competitive and difficult for BAME children. This trend is expected to continue particularly given the state of the economy since COVID-19. High levels of unemployment are predicted due to redundancies, caused by the closure of large and small businesses.

There are pupils who will not be adversely affected if 11 Plus Examinations go ahead in September. They represent those in private preparatory schools who come from homes with higher disposable incomes. Their parents will have paid for them be prepared for the 11 Plus Examination years in advance. Children who fall into this category often obtain the highest marks in the 11 Plus Entrance Tests and are selected for the best grammar schools.
This year, the candidates who receive offers for Year 7 might be predominantly made up of children from higher income, well – to- do families.

Schools in England to reopen June 1, 2020

On Sunday May 10th Boris Johnson announced the reopening of schools in England, starting with Reception, Year 1 and Year 6. The government is also aiming for secondary school students with exams next year to return before the summer holidays.

As the UK Government plans to start sending children back to school from 1st June, “at the earliest.” the decision has been highly controversial and attacked by Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, who told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that teachers “haven’t yet seen the scientific underpin” to back up the assertion that the transmission risk among pupils is low. Teaching unions are adamant that no school in the UK was safe to reopen on 1st June.

A growing number of local authorities including Liverpool, Hartlepool, Bury Council in Manchester, argue that it is too soon to lift the COVD-19 lockdown restrictions and says that while high levels of the infection remain in the north west, “the borough will not be re-opening schools on June 1”. Local authorities up and down the country are refusing to open schools on 1st June.

Michael Gove, has stated that “The clear scientific and clinical advice is that it is safe to have schools reopen, accompanied with social distancing.”
The BMA who initially opposed the idea of reopening schools has since dropped its opposition and state that providing it is safe, schools should reopen on 1st June. BMA admitted that there is “growing evidence that the risk to individual children from Covid-19 is extremely small”

The attitude of the Sutton Trust, a social mobility charity, is that the lockdown is “really hurting children in moderate and low income households”. Suggesting that they should go back to school.

Scientists say It is fear – not science – that is stopping our children being educated. Test, track and trace must be in place it is the key to reopening schools safely.

For the pupils in the UK, it wont be easy transitioning from home back to school after such a long absence and under new strict social distancing conditions. Things will not be as they knew it. Children will not be able to play with their friends, they will not have the use of the library, pupils will be unable to share a desk and the comradery between pupils will have disappeared. Many parents feel that their children will be disappointed on their return and claim it would be better to wait until September by which time they would have prepared them for the change to their school experience.

Meanwhile, In Germany and Denmark Schools have reopened. In total 22 EU countries have reopened schools. Although they too had fears of a “big backlash from parents” it did not materialise. It is reported that many pupils were happy to be back with their friends.

The NEU (National Education Union), has further told teachers, “not to engage” with the Government’s plans to reopen schools after next week’s half term break….”.
Hundreds of thousands of people had signed a petition to be given choice on sending their kids back to school. It is estimated that a staggering 62% of parents will not send their children to school when they reopen in June. Furthermore, parents who refuse to send their children back to school will not be fined.

The schools that reopened in Europe, planned meticulously and went as far as creating ‘seating plans’ making it easy to trace any cause of infection from the virus. Social distancing has been carefully implemented and planned too. Fewer children are in each classroom and they are taking tiny steps back to normalcy. Schools have installed temperature checkpoints, spaced out desks and fitted them with plastic dividers, and implemented social distancing measures in dinner halls and playgrounds.

France and The Netherlands will be the next to open schools– there are strong arguments for and against as there are in the UK. However, it appears that teachers are not afraid and feel protected as schools have installed plastic screens and teacher have face masks to protect them should a child start coughing


Those arguing against reopening schools too early cite South Korea who under pressure from parents and petitions, had to delay the reopening five times. They have actually seen a spike in cases since schools reopened. Boris Johnson’s government need to take note of this and weigh up the pros and cons of moving forward with this decision whilst looking at both sides of the argument.

Tony Blair, former Labour prime Minister, backs Boris Johnson on the phased reopening of schools. Speaking to the BBC he states that Mr Johnson’s government has based their decision on scientific advice and evidence. He referred to data which showed that “especially for younger children, the risks of transmissions are actually quite low”. He pointed out that Private schools have continued to educate their children during the corona virus lockdown. In fact, many are now approaching or have just started their half term break. Since schools were closed on 20th March it is debatable just how many state school pupils have received appropriate levels of education.

There are parents who feel firmly that continued school closures will have a detrimental impact on pupil progress. This brings us to the question of equality of education. Reportedly, a lot of State school students have missed out on education because they lacked the equipment to join online tuition.
Much is written and claimed about inequalities in education in the UK. Comparisons are made internationally and the UK position in international education tables may have slightly influenced the government’s decision.

This is essentially a judgement call for mums and dads, teachers and headteachers – all have the same agenda, the health and well-being of the children in their care. It is imperative that UK State schools keep their educational standards high.

Despite these arguments, primary schools are due to reopen shortly. Head teachers are looking at the examples of EU countries such as Germany and Denmark to help them to reopen safely and effectively.

Year 6 pupils are approaching secondary school transfer and the reopening of schools will give them an opportunity to spend a few weeks in their primary school. They will have the opportunity to say farewell to their teachers and the friends they made over the years, before they transition to the next stage of their education’

By May Fields