Pupils who sat exams in wake of Grenfell have grades reviewed
PUPILS WHO took exams in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire will have their grades reviewed to ensure their higher education prospects are not compromised by the tragedy.
Kensington and Chelsea Council said it is working with local schools and exam boards to ensure that any pupils who sat tests around the time of the deadly blaze have their grades “looked at, reviewed and modified accordingly if necessary”.
Teenagers will also have access to counselling and mental health support on results days and when they start their new school terms in September. Council leader Councillor Elizabeth Campbell said: “We know that some pupils took exams following the night of the fire and in the days afterwards, and I want to ensure that their chances of a university or sixth form place are not impacted by something totally out of their control.
“The council has written to schools and made support available as pupils come to collect GCSE and A-level results over the next two weeks. We will also be there with help when the first day of term arrives in September.”
Many applications for “special consideration” were made by schools in the borough during the summer term following the fire, in which at least 80 people perished.
Council officials have been in touch with schools throughout the summer in preparation for results days, and have been fasttracking mental health referrals from schools.
Schools in the area are also being provided with money for new uniforms for children who lost belongings in the fire.
Following the fire and the series of terror attacks in Manchester and London, exam boards combed through more than 2,000 exam papers for potentially distressing content. It is understood that exam boards began checks immediately after the Manchester attack and continued as the London tragedies unfolded.