Virus pupils can sit exams four days later with negative test

EXAM candidates who test positive for Covid can sit exams if they test negative four days later.

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.

The waiver was among a number of measures aimed at helping make exams fairer.

Appeals or not, head teachers 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 head teacher 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.

Mr Miles said “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.”

Explaining new rules for exam candidates with Covid, Mr Miles and Health Minister Eluned Morgan 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 timetable 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 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.”