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Unable to sit test due to isolation rules?What will happen?

Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 12:25 pm
by TheThinEndOfTheWedge
After receiving a letter from the grammar schools consortium regarding the test on 12th September, I contacted the consortium today for some clarification. It was via a tiny contact form which didn't leave much room for details, but was as follows:

"I am requesting information regarding what contingency arrangements will be made in the event of the candidate needing to self isolate or the local area declared 'in lockdown' . I would be extremely grateful if you would clarify that if a candidate needs to self isolate, correctly following government advice due to covid, that alternative arrangements will be made for them to sit the test at a later date and that this will not prevent them from taking the test at all."

This is because the letter only states what to do if your child is ill - there is no further information regarding alternative arrangements.

I have just received this reply:

'Thank you for your email. If your child is unable to take the test on 12th September please follow the instructions on the letter that has recently been posted to you '

This really doesn't answer my question! There was no information on the letter about isolation when NOT ill. I am concerned with the lack of clarity around what will happen and was really hoping to get confirmation that the child could still sit the test, albeit at a later date. The government issued guidelines for this situation in July this year and there are a number of paragraphs in it confirming that the grammar schools/organisations should make sure that arrangements are made to ensure no child will miss the test due to covid isolation/lockdown. As the children are all back at school now, I can easily envisage a virus doing the rounds and the subsequent 14 days isolation with the test falling in the middle of it. The email is one which you cannot reply to, frustratingly.

Has anyone else had any joy getting confirmation from the consortium regarding their plans? I'm really not happy about the lack of transparency and information...it's adding more uncertainty to a difficult situation!

I'd be grateful to hear if anyone has had any communication from them about this...before I attempt to use their tiny contact form again!

Re: Unable to sit test due to isolation rules?What will happ

Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 12:47 pm
by scary mum
It sounds as though they will just treat the child as if they had been ill.

Re: Unable to sit test due to isolation rules?What will happ

Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 1:04 pm
by TheThinEndOfTheWedge
scary mum wrote:It sounds as though they will just treat the child as if they had been ill.

I hope so...but it's an assumption on our part, isn't it? And I don't want to assume - they should be clearer, I think, and categorically confirm exactly what will happen. I don't think it's unreasonable to want certainty about this, to be honest.

Re: Unable to sit test due to isolation rules?What will happ

Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 6:47 pm
by Wildfuture
Is your child isolating and you provided further details or is this a 'what if' question?

Re: Unable to sit test due to isolation rules?What will happ

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2020 8:34 am
by TheThinEndOfTheWedge
Wildfuture wrote:Is your child isolating and you provided further details or is this a 'what if' question?
It's a 'what if' question. If your child is actually ill with a doctor's note, then obviously the procedure is straightforward. But being in isolation is very different and they don't seem to have specific procedures to follow...actually, I'll rephrase that - they haven't publicised their procedures. I think it should be clearly explained on their website. With thousands of children taking the test it's seems very likely that this will happen to a small percentage.

Re: Unable to sit test due to isolation rules?What will happ

Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2020 7:16 pm
by TheThinEndOfTheWedge
An update has been put on the Birmingham Grammar Schools Consortium page regarding what to do if you need to isolate:

https://birminghamgrammarschools.org/Im ... r-2020.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;