GCSE results this week could be even more unfair than last week’s A-level calamity as the Government digs itself into an even deeper hole.
Playing fast and loose with the aspirations of hundreds of thousands of teenagers is another kick in the teeth for pupils.
Cancelling exams and shutting schools to most students to halt the spread of the virus undoubtedly harmed teenagers’ education but most people understand that big decisions had to be taken in a hurry.
What most people do not and will not forgive is the resulting chaos.
Teachers often get it wrong when predicting grades yet they still know far more about individual children than a criticised, controversial, condemned computer model.
Every child is supposed to matter.
It’s unforgivable that this Tory Government is writing off so many of them.
Plane stupid
Easing lockdown restrictions in areas where the virus rate falls is a recognition the danger varies between communities.
And that exposes the unpopular contradiction in the Government’s blanket approach to other countries: Huge nations are treated as single threat zones, with visitors required to quarantine for a fortnight on returning even if they stayed in places with few or no cases.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s anticipation that life will soon return to near normal in his patch is a reward for people who followed the rules to halt Covid-19’s spread.
But the addition of Greece and Turkey to Spain, France and others on the travel quarantine hit list would be unnecessarily blunt.
Wails in Wales
If the spooky Welsh castle hosting this year’s I’m a Celebrity isn’t already haunted, the place will be later this year... by contestants groaning the place isn’t as hot as the jungle in Australia.
And it’s a pity an eyesight test in Barnard Castle won’t be used as a Bushtucker Trial.
