mteb/FeedbackQARetrieval huggingface dataset:
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): cancellation of GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2020
What about private candidates or home educated students?
Where schools and colleges have accepted entries from external candidates
(students who they have not taught themselves, because they have been home-
educated, following distance-learning programmes or studying independently),
those students should be taken account of in the process of producing centre
assessment grades, where the head teacher or principal is confident that they
and their staff have seen sufficient evidence of the student’s achievement to
make an objective judgement.
Ofqual and the exam boards have been exploring the options for those students
who do not have an existing relationship with an exams centre and who need
results this summer for progression purposes. The Joint Council for
Qualifications has published some guidance for exam centres on accepting
private candidates which sets out
the options that will be available. Unfortunately, not all external candidates
will be able to be awarded a calculated grade this summer because some will
not be in a position to provide sufficient evidence to enable their exam
centre to include them in their centre assessment grades and rankings.
Students in this position will need to sit exams to get their grades, either
in the autumn or in summer 2021.
Ofqual has asked organisations that represent higher and further education
providers to consider the steps that providers could take when making
admissions decisions this summer for any private candidates who do not receive
a grade. They have said that they believe that institutions will consider a
range of other evidence and information for these students to allow them to
progress wherever possible.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): cancellation of GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2020
If students take the exam option, will they still be able to go to university this year?
Students who do not feel their calculated grade reflects their performance
will have the opportunity to sit an exam as soon as is reasonably possible
after the beginning of the new academic year.
Our aim is for results to be awarded before Christmas, and Ofqual is working
with exam boards to work out how this could be delivered. Universities
representatives have assured us that universities will be as flexible as
possible in their admissions.
Any student wanting to understand the implications on university admission of
taking these autumn exams should speak to the university from which they have
an offer after receiving their calculated grade in the summer.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): cancellation of GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2020
Will students be required to do further work to contribute towards their grade?
Ofqual’s guidance on awarding GCSE, AS and A
levels makes clear that there is no requirement for schools and
colleges to set additional mock exams or homework tasks for the purposes of
determining a centre assessment grade, and no student should be disadvantaged
if they are unable to complete any work set after schools and colleges were
closed. Where additional work has been completed after schools and colleges
were closed on 20 March, Ofqual is advising head teachers and principals to
exercise caution where that evidence suggests a change in performance. In many
cases this is likely to reflect the circumstances and context in which the
work is done.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): cancellation of GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2020
Did exams and assessments need to be cancelled?
From Friday 20 March, all educational settings were closed to everyone except
the children of critical workers and vulnerable children.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is expected to continue having a
significant impact on the education system, and the country, for months to
come. Therefore, exams and assessments have been cancelled to give pupils,
parents, and teachers certainty, and enable schools and colleges to focus on
supporting vulnerable children and the children of critical workers.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings
Additional questions
What happens if there is a confirmed case of coronavirus in a setting?
When a child, young person or staff member develops symptoms compatible with
coronavirus, they should be sent home and advised to self-isolate for 7 days.
Their fellow household members should self-isolate for 14 days. All staff and
students who are attending an education or childcare setting will have access
to a test if they display symptoms of coronavirus, and are encouraged to get
tested in this scenario.
Where the child, young person or staff member tests negative, they can return
to their setting and the fellow household members can end their self-
isolation.
Where the child, young person or staff member tests positive, the rest of
their class or group within their childcare or education setting should be
sent home and advised to self-isolate for 14 days. The other household members
of that wider class or group do not need to self-isolate unless the child,
young person or staff member they live with in that group subsequently
develops symptoms.
As part of the national test and trace programme, if other cases are detected
within the cohort or in the wider setting, Public Health England’s local
health protection teams will conduct a rapid investigation and will advise
schools and other settings on the most appropriate action to take. In some
cases a larger number of other children, young people may be asked to self-
isolate at home as a precautionary measure – perhaps the whole class, site or
year group. Where settings are observing guidance on infection prevention and
control, which will reduce risk of transmission, closure of the whole setting
will not generally be necessary.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings
Additional questions
Should educational settings ask parents to report pupils’ temperatures at the start of each day?
Parents, carers and settings do not need to take children’s temperatures every
morning. Routine testing of an individual’s temperature is not a reliable
method for identifying coronavirus. Educational and childcare settings should
reiterate to parents the need to follow the standard national advice on the
kind of symptoms to look out for that might be due to coronavirus, and where
to get further advice.If anyone in the household develops a fever, or a new
continuous cough, or a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or
smell (anosmia), they are advised to follow the COVID-19: guidance for
households with possible coronavirus infection
guidance (which states that the ill person should remain in isolation for 7
days and the rest of the household in isolation for 14 days).
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings
Additional questions
What does implementing protective measures look like in alternative provision (AP)?
AP settings should follow the same principles and guidance as mainstream
schools. As much as possible, protective measures should be adhered to and
class or group sizes should be small. Staff should use simple language to
explain safety measures, and reiterate and reinforce key messages. Safe
routines for access to toilets, hand-cleaning and break and lunch times should
be put in place. Teaching resources can be used to aid understanding.
Settings may need to carry out a risk assessment, if it is deemed that a child
or young person may not be able to follow instructions, to determine what
mitigations need to be put in place and whether, in rare circumstances, they
should stay at home. For those children and young people with a social worker,
our expectation is that they should attend their educational setting unless a
risk assessment concludes they will be safer at home.
*[AP]: alternative provision
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings
Additional questions
What happens if someone becomes unwell at an educational or childcare setting?
If anyone in an education or childcare setting becomes unwell with a new,
continuous cough or a high temperature, or has a loss of, or change in, their
normal sense of taste of smell (anosmia), they must be sent home and advised
to follow the COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus
infection guidance.
If a child is awaiting collection, they should be moved, if possible, to a
room where they can be isolated behind a closed door, depending on the age of
the child and with appropriate adult supervision if required. Ideally, a
window should be opened for ventilation. If it is not possible to isolate
them, move them to an area which is at least 2 metres away from other people.
If they need to go to the bathroom while waiting to be collected, they should
use a separate bathroom if possible. The bathroom should be cleaned and
disinfected using standard cleaning products before being used by anyone else.
PPE should be worn by staff caring for the child while they await collection
if a distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained (such as for a very young child
or a child with complex needs).
In an emergency, call 999 if they are seriously ill or injured or their life
is at risk. Do not visit the GP, pharmacy, urgent care centre or a hospital.
If a member of staff has helped someone with symptoms, they do not need to go
home unless they develop symptoms themselves (and in which case, a test is
available) or the child subsequently tests positive (see ‘What happens if
there is a confirmed case of coronavirus in a setting?’ below). They should
wash their hands thoroughly for 20 seconds after any contact with someone who
is unwell. Cleaning the affected area with normal household disinfectant after
someone with symptoms has left will reduce the risk of passing the infection
on to other people. See the COVID-19: cleaning of non-healthcare settings
guidance.
*[PPE]: personal protective equipment
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings
Additional questions
Will children and young people be eligible for testing?
When settings open to the wider cohort of children and young people, all those
children and young people eligible to attend, and members of their households,
will have access to testing if they display symptoms of coronavirus. This will
enable them to get back into childcare or education, and their parents or
carers to get back to work, if the test proves to be negative. Parents will
have a number of routes to access testing for them and their children. Visit
the guidance on coronavirus testing and how to arrange to have a
test.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings
Additional questions
Will contact tracing be in place in educational and childcare settings?
The government is developing a new national test and trace programme. This
will bring together an app, expanded web and phone-based contact tracing, and
swab testing for those with potential coronavirus symptoms. This programme
will play an important role in helping to minimise the spread of coronavirus
in the future. It will also include more traditional methods of contact
tracing if a child, young person or parent tests positive. This could include,
for example, direct discussion with parents and schools or colleges on recent
contacts. The government is recruiting 18,000 contact tracers to support
contact tracing and will recruit more if needed. They will play an important
part in tracing the contacts of those with coronavirus, including children.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Public spaces / outdoor activities / exercise
I don’t have to stay at home anymore?
You should stay at home as much as possible. The reasons you may leave home
include:

for work, where you cannot work from home
going to shops that are permitted to be open - to get things like food and medicine
to exercise or spend time outdoors
any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid injury or illness, escape risk of harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person

These reasons are exceptions and a fuller list is set out in the
regulations. Even when doing
these activities, you should be minimising time spent away from the home and
ensuring that you are two metres apart from anyone outside of your household.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Public spaces / outdoor activities / exercise
Are day trips and holidays ok? Can people stay in second homes?
Day trips to outdoor open space, in a private vehicle, are permitted. You
should practise social distancing from other people outside your household.
Leaving your home - the place you live - to stay at another home for a holiday
or other purpose is not allowed. This includes visiting second homes.
Premises such as hotels and bed and breakfasts will remain closed, except
where providing accommodation for specific reasons set out in law, such as for
critical workers where required for a reason relating to their work.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Public spaces / outdoor activities / exercise
On what date can I expand my household group?
The government has asked the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE)
to advise on the concept of “bubbles”, which would mean allowing people to
expand their household group to include one other household. For the time
being, you cannot visit friends or family, except to spend time outdoors with
up to one person from a different household.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Borders / international visitors
Are you isolating people at the border now?
Please note - these measures are NOT yet in force. We will set out further
detail, including from when these will be in force, in due course.
The scientific advice shows that when domestic transmission is high, cases
from abroad represent a small amount of the overall total and make no
significant difference to the epidemic. Now that domestic transmission within
the UK is coming under control, and other countries begin to lift lockdown
measures, it is the right time to prepare new measures at the border.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Going to work / Safer spaces
Do people need to wear face coverings at work?
Face coverings are not compulsory. However, if you can, people are advised to
wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces where social distancing is not
possible or where you are more likely to come into contact with people you do
not normally meet. For example, on public transport or in some shops. Face
coverings can help us protect each other and reduce the spread of the disease
if you are suffering from coronavirus, but not showing symptoms. You should be
prepared to remove your face covering if asked to do so by police officers and
staff for the purposes of identification.
A face covering is not the same as the surgical masks or respirators used as
part of personal protective equipment by healthcare and other workers; these
should continue to be reserved for those who need them to protect against
risks in their workplace such as health and care workers and those in
industrial settings like those exposed to dust hazards.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Workers’ rights
My employer is asking me to come to work but I’m scared.
Employers and staff should discuss and agree working arrangements.
Employers should make all efforts to help people to work from home where they
can. But where work cannot be done at home, employers should take clear,
practical steps to help protect workers and create safe places to work, such
as shift working or staggering processes. To identify the precautions needed
to manage risk, your employer should discuss the workplace risk assessment
with you to identify the practical ways of managing those risks.
If you remain concerned that your employer is not taking all practical steps
to promote social distancing then you can report this to your local authority
or the Health and Safety Executive who can take a range of action, including
where appropriate requiring your employer to take additional steps.
We have published further specific “COVID-19 Secure”
guidelines on how to make workplaces safe, which have been developed in
consultation with over 200 business leaders and trades union organisations.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Public spaces / outdoor activities / exercise
Can weddings go ahead?
There’s no change at this time, but we have set out our intention to enable
small wedding ceremonies from 1 June. We understand the frustration couples
planning a wedding must be feeling at this time. As with all the necessary
coronavirus restrictions on register offices, places of worship and other
venues, we will look to ease them as soon as it is safe to do so. We will work
closely with faith leaders and local government over the coming weeks to go
through the practicalities.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Vulnerable groups, shielding, 70 year olds and over, and care homes
How long will shielding be in place?
We’ve advised individuals with very specific medical conditions to shield
until the end of June and to do everything they can to stay at home. This is
because we believe they are likely to be at the greatest risk of serious
complications from coronavirus.
We know this is challenging guidance to follow, which is why we have a support
scheme in place to provide help with access to food and basic supplies, care,
medicines and social support.
We are keeping the guidance to shielded
people under review.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Going to work / Safer spaces
Who is allowed to go to work?
In the first instance, employers should make every effort to support working
from home, including by providing suitable IT and equipment as they have been
already. This will apply to many different types of businesses, particularly
those who typically would have worked in offices or online.
Where work can only be done in the workplace, we have set out tailored
guidelines for employers to help protect their workforce and customers from
coronavirus while still continuing to trade or getting their business back up
and running. We have published detailed COVID-19 secure
guidelines, which has been developed in consultation with businesses and trades
unions.
These ‘back to work’ guidelines apply to those in essential retail like:

supermarkets
those in construction and manufacturing
those working in labs and research facilities
those administering takeaways and deliveries at restaurants and cafes
tradesmen, cleaners and others who work in people’s homes
those who are facilitating trade or transport goods
and so on

Non-essential retail, restaurants, pubs, bars, gyms and leisure centres will
remain closed. They will reopen in a phased manner provided it is safe to do
so.
There are specific guidelines for those who are vulnerable, shielding, or
showing symptoms.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Vulnerable groups, shielding, 70 year olds and over, and care homes
Does easing restrictions apply to healthy 70 year olds and over?
The advice for those aged 70 and over continues to be that they should take
particular care to minimise contact with others outside their household.
If they do go out more frequently, they should be careful to maintain distance
from others. They and everyone should continue to comply with any general
social distancing restrictions.
We know that those aged 70 and over can be absolutely fit and healthy and it’s
not the case that everybody over 70 has a chronic health condition or an
underlying disease.
But unfortunately, we also know that as you get older, there is a higher risk
of coronavirus having a more serious impact with infection. Complications and
deaths are more common in the elderly, even those without pre-existing
conditions.
Anyone who has been advised to shield by the NHS or their GP, including those
70 and over, should continue to do this until at least the end of June.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Public spaces / outdoor activities / exercise
What can I do that I couldn’t do before?
There are a limited number of things you can now do that you could not do
before:

spend time outdoors – for example sitting and enjoying the fresh air, picnicking, or sunbathing
meet one other person from a different household outdoors - following social distancing guidelines
exercise outdoors as often as you wish - following social distancing guidelines
use outdoor sports courts or facilities, such as a tennis or basketball court, or golf course – with members of your household, or one other person while staying 2 metres apart
go to a garden centre

At all times, you should continue to observe social distancing guidelines when
you are outside your home, including ensuring you are 2 metres away from
anyone outside your household. As with before, you cannot:

visit friends and family in their homes
exercise in an indoor sports court, gym or leisure centre, or go swimming in a public pool
use an outdoor gym or playground
visit a private or ticketed attraction
gather in a group of more than two (excluding members of your own household), except for a few specific exceptions set out in law (for work, funerals, house moves, supporting the vulnerable, in emergencies and to fulfil legal obligations)

If you are showing coronavirus symptoms, or if you or any of your household
are self-isolating, you should stay at home - this is critical to staying safe
and saving lives.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Public Transport
Should people wear face coverings on public transport?
If you can, wear a face covering in an enclosed space where social distancing
isn’t possible and where you will come into contact with people you do not
normally meet. This is most relevant for short periods indoors in crowded
areas, for example on public transport or in some shops. The evidence suggests
that face coverings can help us protect each other and reduce the spread of
the disease if you are suffering from coronavirus, but not showing symptoms.
You should be prepared to remove your face covering if asked to do so by
police officers and staff for the purposes of identification.
If people choose to wear them, we are asking people to make their own face
coverings at home, using scarves or other textile items. We are publishing
guidance to help illustrate the
process.
We urge the public not to purchase medical or surgical masks as these should
be reserved for health and social care workers.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Public spaces / outdoor activities / exercise
Are you reopening tennis courts / golf courses / basketball courts etc?
Yes. Sports courts can re-open, but you should only partake in such activities
alone, with members of your household, or with one other person from outside
your household, while practising social distancing. You should take particular
care if you need to use any indoor facilities next to these outdoor courts,
such as toilets.
You should not use these facilities if you are showing coronavirus symptoms,
or if you or any of your household are self-isolating.
Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
Borders / international visitors
Is this for foreign travellers only or British people returning home from holiday or living overseas?
Please note - these measures are NOT yet in force. We will set out further
detail, including from when these will be in force, in due course.
All arrivals including British nationals will be required to provide their
contact information and self-isolate upon arrival, other than those on a short
list of exemptions.