GCSEs and A-levels in chaos with PARENTS forced to train to invigilate exams over Covid shortage

KIDS face fresh exams carnage this summer as a shortage of invigilators risks throwing timetables into turmoil.

Teachers have warned that invigilators are getting spooked by Covid and bailing in their droves.

Parents and staff are being scrambled to step in to plug the shortage of GCSE and A-Level monitors. 

It threatens more disruption for pupils already working to catch up after the pandemic closed schools.

The Association of School and College Leaders sounded the alarm bell today over potential exam chaos.

General Secretary Geoff Barton said: "It is also clear that there are sufficient difficulties in recruiting enough invigilators. 

"It would obviously reassure these staff if free Covid testing was available for exam students and we once again appeal to the government to make this simple and obvious provision.

"We also have to question whether it is right to continue to subject young people to such a huge number of high-stakes terminal exams at GCSE as is the case in the current system.

"Stress and anxiety were already problems pre-pandemic. It must surely be possible to slim down the exam system and make it more proportionate and humane."

Jugjit Chima, chief executive of the National Association of Exams Officers added they were facing a "perfect storm". 

The Department for Education insists it does not expect "general disruption" but "contingency plans" are in place.

Rules requiring there to be one invigilator per 30 pupils have been relaxed so one can oversee 40.

Teachers are also being allowed to watch over their own subject in another break with normal rules.

Testing has been a nightmare for kids in recent years after the algorithm chaos stirred outrage.