School exams announcement: What did Gavin Williamson say in his speech today?

EDUCATION Secretary for England Gavin Williamson made a statement in Parliament today (January 6).

It comes after schools across the country were closed — switching to remote learning instead — as England entered its third lockdown to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

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What did Gavin Williamson say?

Gavin Williamson set out his plans for England's pupils after schools were closed, with GCSE and A-level exams cancelled.

He spoke this afternoon after a statement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the new national lockdown.

The Education Secretary announced that teachers will decide what grades A-level, GCSE and AS students will be awarded.

He said it was impossible for kids to fairly sit exams after schools were closed once again as the country was plunged into a national lockdown.

Mr Williamson told MPs that closing schools was the "last thing" the Government wanted to do.

He stressed it was the absolute last resort to curb the spiralling number of coronavirus cases.

Mr Williamson laid out contingency plans for kids set to sit crucial exams this year - meaning teacher assessments will be used instead of tests.

The Education Secretary vowed to open schools at the earliest possible moment.

"I will not let schools be closed for a moment longer than they need to be, I will do everything I can to ensure every school is open.";

It follows suggestions teachers should be given priority access to vaccines, in an effort to reopen schools.

Schools and colleges in Wales will also remain closed until at least January 18 and move to online learning, with GCSE and A-level exams already cancelled.

In Northern Ireland, schools are to engage in remote learning until the mid-term break but there is no clarity on whether exams will go ahead.

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When will schools reopen?

Public Health England's said there was no guarantee that schools would be able to return after the scheduled February break.

She told the BBC: "I think it will really depend on the epidemiology of the virus... we will have to look at it by year, age group by age group, as happened the first time round, and the final decisions will lay with Government over when they want to bring the students back."

Mr Johnson announced on January 4, 2021, that schools would be closed for all, except the vulnerable and key worker children, until February half term.