A short ‘back from annual leave’ email.
Having just returned from annual leave (a week in Cumbria and a week of house jobs), it has made me realise just how much I needed to have a complete break from the whole Covid situation and spend quality time with my family. We have all been working through what has, and continues to be a very difficult period, with many pressures in both in our professional and personal lives. So just a gentle reminder from me, please do take the opportunity for annual leave and whilst away completely disconnect from telco/emails etc. as I’m confident the complete break will do you good.
To another subject I thought it right to mention – the recent outcome of A-level results and the impending GCSE results. I’m not yet speaking from personal experience, although I do have a son awaiting the outcome of GCSE’s later this week.
The awarding of grades without exams was never going to be a straightforward process. That said, the approach implemented by Ofqual/Government appears to have so many faults it needs significant and urgent change. The approach has created so many perverse outcomes, huge stress and will severely impact the life chances of so many young people, particularly hitting specific communities and schools, which is unacceptable and has to change. Listening to the stories of young people over the last few days has been heart breaking.
Young people have endured particular challenges during Covid which could remain with them for their lifetime and this should not be compounded by Government, who in no doubt, in an effort to do right thing have ended up creating a great injustice. The UK Government needs to treat our young people with great compassion at this time. I personally believe they should follow the example of Scotland and Northern Ireland, for although some students may get grades they would not achieve in an exam situation, the greater wrong is the damage being done to the lives of those students who have been downgraded by an algorithm. Surely it would be better to give some more young people an opportunity, who may not otherwise have had one, than punish many more for the ‘purity’ of the system – I do not believe anyone would begrudge this approach in the current circumstances.
If any colleagues have family members who are impacted by the recent results, or the impending GCSEs, please talk to your line manager if you need support or time away from the business to support students/children to assist them through their next steps.