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Four revelations from leaked WhatsApps about how government dealt with schools during pandemic
Four revelations from Matt Hancock’s leaked WhatsApps about how government dealt with schools during pandemic, © Provided by The I Politics
The Oasis founder said youth workers attached to some of its schools had seen an exponential increase in incidents of children needing intervention with behavioural issues, rising in some instances from two instances per week to up to five per day.
Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at Exeter University, said this year’s A-level students were facing a “perfect storm” of challenges in reaching university following the loss of learning during the pandemic – put at nearly 35 per cent of classroom time for the poorest pupils – and the subsequent cost of living crisis.
Ucas figures show that some 320,000 students have applied to university this year – slightly behind last year’s all-time record of 326,000, but significantly ahead of the pre-pandemic figure of 275,000. The admissions service said pupils from the most disadvantaged backgrounds were receiving more offers than in 2022, with 76.5 per cent receiving a place offer – compared to 76.2 per cent across all socio-economic groups.
But Professor Major said there was no escaping the conclusion that social mobility had been thrown into reverse by the pandemic and its aftermath.
He said: “We will see stark education gaps in the next few years – on these measures of life prospects, society has gone backwards. This year’s [exam] cohorts are particularly unlucky – facing a perfect storm of greater numbers applying to university, tougher grades, amid a tightening of some degree places at leading universities. The long-term damage from the pandemic is likely to be a huge backward step for educational prospects and social mobility.”
Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at Exeter University, said this year’s A-level students were facing a “perfect storm” of challenges in reaching university following the loss of learning during the pandemic – put at nearly 35 per cent of classroom time for the poorest pupils – and the subsequent cost of living crisis.
Ucas figures show that some 320,000 students have applied to university this year – slightly behind last year’s all-time record of 326,000, but significantly ahead of the pre-pandemic figure of 275,000. The admissions service said pupils from the most disadvantaged backgrounds were receiving more offers than in 2022, with 76.5 per cent receiving a place offer – compared to 76.2 per cent across all socio-economic groups.
But Professor Major said there was no escaping the conclusion that social mobility had been thrown into reverse by the pandemic and its aftermath.
He said: “We will see stark education gaps in the next few years – on these measures of life prospects, society has gone backwards. This year’s [exam] cohorts are particularly unlucky – facing a perfect storm of greater numbers applying to university, tougher grades, amid a tightening of some degree places at leading universities. The long-term damage from the pandemic is likely to be a huge backward step for educational prospects and social mobility.”
All of which is only likely to add to the nervousness felt by Jasminder, the daughter of a bus driver and a shop worker, when she is handed her envelope on Thursday morning. She said: “If I don’t get what I need, I’ll ask myself how much the last few years have cost me. And I’ll wonder how different it would have been if I’d lived in a bigger house or gone to a better school.”
Gavin Williamson said teachers looking for ‘excuse’ not to work during pandemic
Further messages released by the investigation claim Sir Gavin complained to Mr Hancock that teachers “really do just hate work” amid ongoing rows over school closures.
The exchange took place in October 2020, by which point schools had begun gradually reopening after being shut during the first lockdown.
Exams had been cancelled at the end of summer 2020, and Sir Gavin had been forced to abandon a controversial algorithm which had been used to determine grades.
Following reports that exams would be delayed by several weeks in 2021, Mr Hancock sent a message to Sir Gavin which said: “Cracking announcement today. What a bunch of absolute arses the teaching unions are.”
Sir Gavin responded: “I know they really really do just hate work”
Mr Hancock responded to the message with two laughing emojis and a bullseye emoji.
Responding to the publication of these messages, Sir Gavin said his comments had been “about some unions and not teachers”.
“I have the utmost respect for teachers who work tirelessly to support students,” he said.
"Another good reason why they are now both out of a job" Kharma? NGW 2023
Further messages released by the investigation claim Sir Gavin complained to Mr Hancock that teachers “really do just hate work” amid ongoing rows over school closures.
The exchange took place in October 2020, by which point schools had begun gradually reopening after being shut during the first lockdown.
Exams had been cancelled at the end of summer 2020, and Sir Gavin had been forced to abandon a controversial algorithm which had been used to determine grades.
Following reports that exams would be delayed by several weeks in 2021, Mr Hancock sent a message to Sir Gavin which said: “Cracking announcement today. What a bunch of absolute arses the teaching unions are.”
Sir Gavin responded: “I know they really really do just hate work”
Mr Hancock responded to the message with two laughing emojis and a bullseye emoji.
Responding to the publication of these messages, Sir Gavin said his comments had been “about some unions and not teachers”.
“I have the utmost respect for teachers who work tirelessly to support students,” he said.
"Another good reason why they are now both out of a job" Kharma? NGW 2023
British Students Shunned