December 1st 2020 - ABSENCE MAKES THE EXAMS GROW HARDER.

While we all await the result of the vote on the new Covid restrictions, which we all know will pass, I thought I'd look somewhere else. In any case I'm writing this before the vote has been taken and I can comment tomorrow on the hypocrisy of some MPs and the steadfastness and stubbornness of others.

I want to look at education because old BOJO has said all along that a major priority has been to keep schools open at all costs and we now see what that cost is. Ofsted regional bosses have warned that education has been completely disrupted by the number of Covid absentees in some schools. Indeed some pupils have been away from school on more than one occasion as they have had to self-isolate.

Last Thursday 22% of pupils were absent from secondary schools. The problem this brings, compared to when all schools were closed except to key worker's children, is that this is now random and of course it is not only pupils but teachers who may have to be sent home or are off sick. It is almost impossible in such circumstances to have lessons flowing.

It would also now appear that some parents might be losing faith in a school's ability to keep their child safe from Covid and are deliberately, and legally, keeping their child at home. The problem again seems to stem from BOJO's announcement that schools were not a source of transmission of the disease as young people didn't seem to be catching it. That was in September when it was decided to open all schools. Now the picture looks a bit different and, next week, ministers will decide how to deal with 2021's exams.

Personally I do not agree with the Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, who some weeks ago, stated that damage was caused to pupils by not being in school. I'm sorry but I think keep going in and out of school, having to isolate, missing lessons, returning to lessons, other pupils missing lessons, will cause far more damage, especially if the government decide to carrying out exams next May/June in a near-normal way.

December 2nd 2020 - CHANGES.

We begin today with some big changes. From now onwards, this grumpy blog will appear weekly, each Friday night. I have thoroughly enjoyed having a daily moan but there are other things to do in my life, other oats to sow, other people to annoy.

Join me then on Friday December 11th for the first instalment and, as we will then be a mere 20 days from exiting the transition period, I'm sure there will be much going on.

December 11th 2020 - MORE CHANGES.

I admit it. I was wrong. However as my being wrong had nothing to do with breaking Covid regulations I will not be "off air" for the next three or six months. I was wrong that I could actually write this blog once a week. It doesn't work. I need to blog daily or at least when I feel the urge which, it may surprise you to know at my age, does seem to happen daily.

I need to make some readjustments to my life which will allow me to do that. Therefore, I will now be "off air" until January 4th 2021 although there may be a special summing-up-the-year blog on December 31st as I won't be able to be anywhere else. Watch this space and have as merry a Christmas as you can.