Peter Weir
Strangford · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Funding was secured for that scheme, and we have been able to take further steps on it. As highlighted by my colleague Diane Dodds, we have seen my successor, the current Minister, be able to implement it at the beginning of September 2021 and funding be made available for it.”
“One of the great fears — I saw it particularly, as Education Minister, from the point of view of children and the domestic setting between partners — was what was going to happen in families when the doors closed and the locks went on. What was happening behind closed doors?”
“There is another significant element of the Bill. I have spoken about it in the Chamber on a couple of occasions. There is always a slight danger that we, as legislators, see legislation as being the end of a process and think that we can pack it away, put it on the shelf and forget about the problem because it has been solved.”
“I welcome the passage of the Bill's Final Stage and commend all the campaigners who have pressed so hard for it and the Bill sponsor. For Pat Catney, hearing some of the tributes must be like hearing eulogies at your funeral, without having to go through the indignity of dying, which is always a double advantage.”
“As highlighted by a number of Members, the impact of period poverty, though not confined to it, has been particularly acute in young women's education. We know that the impact can lead to the missing of education and constraints within education, and that it does so in a disproportionate way.”
“I support the Bill's Final Stage, and I commend the Bill's sponsor for introducing it. I thank the Minister and the Department for the positive attitude that they have taken towards it.”
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“We want to make sure that our students are given that level playing field.”
“I appreciate that sometimes this has probably been a bone of contention between me and the honourable Member for Upper Bann, but, at present, we want to make sure that children are also treated equally to one another. <BR /> <BR />On the flip side of the coin, if we were simply to go on a solo run with special circumstances and did not go as far as other jurisdictions, achieving particular grades would be harder in Northern Ireland than anywhere else. A bit of work needs to be done so that we can reach a common position, if at all possible, between different jurisdictions to try to make sure that special circumstances are reflected so that no one is disadvantaged in future employment, for example, or a university place. Sometimes you get different levels in university places.”
“One option is that some additional tariffs or marks could be given to students who missed a particular length of time, and if we reached a point, for example, where our students are getting a much higher tariff than anyone else, there would be a suspicion in universities and other places that, effectively, a Northern Ireland or CCEA qualification has come from an easier exam than anywhere else. <BR /> <BR />We also have to take into account in the comparability that we have about 20% of our students at A level and AS level sitting exams set by boards that are outside Northern Ireland. I should make it very clear what can be delivered on.”
“I want to work with colleagues across jurisdictions on that. You make a very good point about where it will be in the individual side of things. The system-wide adaptations will go a long way to meeting that, so if a student is expected to be assessed only on particular units — they will know from their school very early on which units those are — they are, effectively, being assessed on 40% of the course. That removes more than half the course from the assessment, which means that even with considerable time missed, there is still that level of compensation. <BR /> <BR />It is important to consider special circumstances, because if we reach a point where it is possible that that is universal across jurisdictions, we should try to create a situation where our students are not disadvantaged.”
“That runs alongside some of the other measures, including the generosity of grading.”
“Again, there was strong support for this type of route in connection with that. <BR /> <BR />The issue is — this should not be forgotten — that, when talking about A levels and AS levels, we are putting a minimum standard of a 40% floor. Some schools will take a different view of which units they would like to see assessed. We appreciate that some will have had different levels of disruption at different times of the year. They will want to ensure that the units that they take will be ones that relate most directly to their circumstances and their children. That will lift the burden of up to 60% of the assessment from children at A level and AS level. There is a different arrangement for GCSE, where units have been taken out at a slightly earlier stage, but, again, there will be a considerable reduction there.”
“Yes, extensive work has gone on. Obviously, because of the nature of this, it has had to go on in the background with CCEA and the ETI. We have worked with a group of school principals and stakeholders drawn from a range of schools of widely differing nature in terms of sector but also in terms of whether they are selective or non-selective and whether they go to sixth form or not. There are a range of things. This has been teased out on a number of occasions and discussed back and forward, making sure of what is doable. There is no point in producing some idyllic solution that then cannot be implemented on that basis. Also, significantly, last week, my officials met confidentially within a number of schools to talk through with the sixth-formers what they saw as the options.”
“They also avoid, quite frankly, the confusion in Wales — they will have external examinations but will just not call them external examinations — or the uncertainty that will happen in Scotland, which, in any event, has a completely different examination system. This is the fairest way forward.”
“The alternative will be a range of examinations, possibly on a weekly basis, by schools, because they will feel concerned that a disgruntled parent might try to sue them, for example. <BR /> <BR />We need something that is recognised clearly and has the support of universities but is also fair to students. I appreciate that, in current circumstances, getting something that is fair across the board is difficult to achieve. If you make a move in one direction, it is maybe fairer for some and less fair for others. The mitigations that I have put forward go further than what is in England.”
“Anywhere that that has happened, grades have been mitigated. Again, that creates one of the problems that we saw in 2020, because it is not fair across the system. Schools will take different approaches. Schools may well have a situation in which they give particular grades to their pupils, knowing that they are likely to be reduced. We would be faced again with the spectacle of a situation where a pupil gets a grade that differs from what their school gave them — generally speaking, it will be lower — and that will create a level of conflict. It is also the case that, to reach that grade — this is one of the dangers that could happen in the system — you will have six months of continuous assessment where pupils feel that they are under the microscope every day. There is no route out where there will be no examinations.”
“He mentioned a particular week: in that week, for those whose absence was related to the COVID situation, 2·4% of the school population were isolating because of some level of illness, while another 5%, roughly speaking, were not there because they were isolating because of contacts. That was the peak point. There will be other students who were missing during that time for a range of reasons. Let us remember, however, that, although it is important that the situation be taken into account, those pupils were receiving remote learning and other learning throughout. Let us not create a situation in which we simply equate students' not physically being in school on a particular day with not working hard at home. I want to make that fairly clear. <BR /> <BR />The Member mentioned centre-assessed grading.”
“I wish the Member a very happy Christmas as well. <BR /> <BR />I will respond to some of the issues that he has raised. He mentioned other jurisdictions. Scotland has made a decision to use some form of assessment but has not come up with the details of that. Wales's position is one of flux, where it is effectively introducing examinations by the back door but has still to hammer out a reasonable level of detail. England has made some announcements but, again, still has to sketch out some of the details. As I have said, we also need to make sure that none of our students is in any way disadvantaged compared with other students. <BR /> <BR />The Member mentioned the levels of absenteeism, and the position is that there are always a number of pupils who will be missing at any particular time.”
“<BR /> <BR />Let me make one further commitment to our students. Across GCSEs, AS levels and A levels, candidates will be awarded a grade based on their performance in the units of assessment that they have taken. Their work will determine their final marks and grades. There will be not be, this year, the use of algorithms or anything that goes beyond that. Again, I commend all our school leaders and teachers for their efforts in these difficult times. <BR /> <BR />In closing, to all those in our schools — staff, pupils and their families — at the end of what has been a very difficult year, I send my best wishes for a quiet and restful Christmas, and I wish every success to all our students in 2021.”
“In conclusion, I thank the House for the opportunity to address it on these important issues. My Department is working hard to make sure that we take into account the effects of the pandemic; to make the best contingency arrangements that we can; and to make sure that exam results will be fair and command public confidence. Fairness to pupils is my priority, and it will continue to be at the forefront of every decision that is taken in the lead-up to exams next summer. Exams are the fairest way of judging students' performance, so they will go ahead underpinned by contingency measures developed in partnership with the sector. In these exceptional times, I have taken exceptional and unprecedented steps to ensure that our young people are supported to progress in education, training or employment.”
“I have asked CCEA to work closely with other awarding bodies to develop a UK-wide approach to any potential scheme. It is, as with all of these things, important that our students are not disadvantaged in that respect compared with their counterparts in other jurisdictions.”
“First, I reassure candidates who have been ill during the academic year that CCEA’s existing special consideration process will continue to be available and will operate as it has done in previous years. In addition, a process to consider COVID-specific special circumstances for young people will have to be developed. I will therefore explore the possibility of a COVID allowance or tariff for young people who have missed a significant number of days of face-to-face teaching due to self-isolation. This will allow specific account to be taken of the variations in disrupted learning since September. To be clear, I reiterate that this will be separate from and additional to the existing special consideration scheme.”
“The reserve series will run in early July, immediately after the main A-level series. The timing is to ensure that results are available to the system and to pupils who wish to move into tertiary education. The results will therefore be available to every pupil at the same time. CCEA is working to develop a process that facilitates the award of grades to candidates who legitimately miss GCSE exams due to, for example, illness or self-isolation, thereby facilitating their progression. <BR /> <BR />I turn to the mitigations for different levels of disruption. Disruption to learning has not been uniform across Northern Ireland or even within schools and families. Last week, my officials met young people who had experienced vastly different levels of disruption. Some had missed significant periods of school; others had missed none.”
“The solution that I have presented today provides assurances to universities that the outcomes in Northern Ireland will be robust and comparable between learners whilst recognising the need to reduce the burden and safeguard the well-being and mental health of our young people. I will write to schools, pupils and parents tomorrow setting out my decisions and providing more details. I am confident that the changes announced today will help all learners to build their understanding and knowledge of these important qualifications. <BR /> <BR />There will be a reserve exam series for A2 candidates who miss exams through illness or self-isolating. This will remove any doubts or uncertainties and ensure that every young person has the opportunity to progress to education, employment or training in 2021.”
“<BR /> <BR />I believe that these changes will relieve much of the stress that our young people are experiencing. The approach will allow them to focus on key topics for a small number of examinations whilst enjoying teaching and learning in other areas of the qualifications that will not be examined. This is a flexible and unique solution. It is designed to reflect the differing approaches to and experiences of teaching and learning across schools and colleges whilst retaining the rigour of external assessment that universities have told us is so important. Our universities have told us that, while preferring regulated, external assessment, they will take a sensible and pragmatic approach in these extremely difficult circumstances.”
“Young people will have the opportunity to omit up to 60% of their AS or A2 assessment. In a significant number of subjects, this will mean taking only one unit of assessment. The key requirement is that the unit or units assessed must comprise at least 40% of the AS or A2 qualification. At the centre of this reduction is choice. Our schools and colleges will choose which unit or units of assessment their pupils will take. Our young people will be assessed on topics and content about which they feel most confident and for which they are well prepared, allowing them to demonstrate their skills and knowledge to the highest possible level. In line with the emphasis on choice, individual candidates will be able, should they so desire, to take all their AS or A-level units.”
“Recognising the difficult public health circumstances and continued disruption, I have decided that pupils taking GCSE maths in January and June 2021 will be provided with additional support materials. These support sheets will relieve candidates of the burden of memorising all the information that they would normally have to memorise. I feel that they will be more prepared and more confident as a result, and this aligns with the recent announcement in England. <BR /> <BR />Today, I am also announcing significant changes to AS-level and A-level qualifications, which will sit alongside the earlier amendments to GCSEs. In recognition of the challenges of studying for level 3 qualifications in such disrupted times, I am taking unprecedented steps to reduce the assessment across all these qualifications.”
“<BR /> <BR />In October, I announced a range of changes to CCEA qualifications, making a range of public health adaptations to ensure safety in delivery and reducing the number of examinations that pupils will take. I have also agreed that CCEA should delay the start of the summer exam series by one week to provide more time for preparation. In the October announcement, I said that GCSE candidates would be able to omit assessment of one unit of each of their qualifications, up to a maximum of 40% of each qualification. Taken as a total package, this represents a considerable reduction in the assessment burden and goes significantly further than adaptations in England, where 100% of the course will be assessed.”
“Schools can be confident that my Department and CCEA have the tools to make summer 2021 exams fair and that young people in Northern Ireland will not be disadvantaged. The aim should be to achieve a level playing field for all candidates right across the UK. <BR /> <BR />I have also agreed that the collection and publication of school-level outcomes through the summary of annual examination results should be suspended for a further year in recognition of the significant disruption experienced by schools. The 2021 examination outcomes will not be used for accountability purposes. I want our school leaders and teachers to feel supported and confident as they prepare young people for public examination. That will lead to collaboration and cohesion across our system rather than competition.”
“Exams are the best way of giving young people the opportunity to show what they can do, and that is why it is so important that they take place next summer. <BR /> <BR />I will turn to standards. First, I want to reassure all our young people that we will take a generous approach to grading, similar to that recently announced in England. These are extraordinary circumstances in which you have had to complete your qualifications. In recognition of the challenges that this cohort has faced and is facing, I have decided that grading will carry forward the overall generosity and standards of 2020. That will ensure that the 2021 cohort are treated fairly, relative to their 2020 peers. Students will be awarded more generous grades in line with last summer's significantly improved results.”
“The best way to ensure fairness and comparable standards across all schools is to have a common assessment tool that is applied under the same conditions in every school and is marked externally to ensure fairness. <BR /> <BR />I genuinely believe that the experience of summer 2020 has shown us that exams remain the fairest method of assessing and awarding qualifications. We saw right across the UK and, indeed, in much of western Europe that, despite every effort and good intention, other forms of assessment are likely to be more inequitable. Cancelling exams would undoubtedly lead to different sorts of anxieties for young people and would put incredible additional pressures on schools. Therefore, I believe that it is in the best interests of pupils and schools that public examinations go ahead.”
“With exams, pupils know that they will be assessed, the form and timing of that assessment, and they will be able to focus their learning on revision and progression. <BR /> <BR />As Education Minister, it is my job to weigh up these differing views, to consider all the evidence and to make a decision that, I think, is in the best interests of all the young people in our schools. It would be easy sometimes to make a seemingly populist decision, but being in government is about making the right decision in the interests of all. While, on the face of it, simply cancelling exams may seem like a good approach as we sit here today, I do not believe that it is the right longer-term approach for our young people.”
“<BR /> <BR />Some other jurisdictions that are purporting to avoid exams are instead running them by the back door. In Wales, young people will face externally-set assessments, and they will be taken earlier than usual. The harsh reality is that there is no alternative to assessment or examinations in one form or another. The education system in 2021 must ensure that the cycle of over-testing is broken. I know that numerous concerns have been raised about what is happening on the ground with pupils. Over-testing is not healthy and is not in the interests of those pupils. That time could be better spent on concentrating on teaching the specification and preparing them for progression to the next stage of their education.”
“In recent days, I have also heard from many young people who want exams to go ahead. <BR /> <BR />Just last week, my officials met groups of sixth-formers across a range of different school types, in different sectors and in selective and non-selective schools, and many were not in favour of replacing exams with centre assessments. They expressed concern about objectivity and fairness and wanted the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills through the examination process. I am also conscious that our focus needs to be on the well-being of our children and young people. Cancelling exams would lead to further months of continuous testing, adding to the stress and anxiety experienced by pupils; in effect, it would be the worst of all worlds. That point was very well articulated by the sixth-formers.”
“While some have called for centre-assessed grades — I entirely understand their position — I have equally heard from many who feel that the cancellation of exams will put school leaders and teachers under terrible pressure and put schools at risk of numerous appeals and litigation.”
“I trust that the changes that I am announcing today will go some considerable way to reassure those young people that we will continue to support them and help them to succeed. <BR /> <BR />I reiterate: I will not be cancelling examinations. I have been clear about that over the past number of months, and my position has not changed. Indeed, with the COVID vaccine being rolled out across the country, I am confident that examinations will be delivered in summer 2021. The recent November series went extremely well and heralded a successful return to public examinations. I have heard the calls from some for me to cancel examinations. Those voices have been loud and clear, but I have also heard the quieter voices of those who are equally as anxious that exams go ahead and have urged me to stand firm.”
“<BR /> <BR />I start by publicly thanking each and every teacher, school leader, governor and all the vital support staff who work in and around our schools for their incredible efforts. They have dealt with a wide range of difficult and exceptional issues. Thanks to those efforts, our children have been able to return to school and continue their education. In particular, I pay tribute to the work of the many dedicated teachers who continue to go above and beyond to give every pupil, whether in school or at home, a high quality education. <BR /> <BR />I recognise that this is a difficult period for young people. Many of them have been personally impacted by the pandemic and are particularly concerned about how there can be fairness in the examination process.”
“In doing so, they have engaged with the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI), school leaders, teachers and, very importantly, young people to seek their views on the way forward. I believe that the changes that I am announcing will provide young people with the clarity and confidence that they need to achieve success. The changes include not only more generous grading across all qualifications but significant reductions in the content that will be assessed in comparison with a normal year. I am conscious that our young people have faced incredible challenges as a result of the pandemic. In making these far-reaching adaptations, we will ensure that their lives are not defined or held back by the disruption that they have experienced in 2020.”
“I welcome the opportunity to make a statement to the Assembly. Today, I am announcing a further package of comprehensive measures, which, I believe, will ensure fair, inclusive and flexible public examinations in 2021. As I have said on a number of occasions, exams will go ahead but will be underpinned by contingencies for all scenarios. However, it is not business as usual. I know that our students are facing unprecedented disruption to their learning, which is why our qualifications will be different next year and why I will be taking exceptional steps to ensure that they are as fair as possible. <BR /> <BR />Over the past few weeks, my officials have been working closely with the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) to develop wide-ranging measures that will best support students in these unprecedented times.”
“Thank you, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. I apologise to the House for the late arrival of the statement. From the original indicative timings, I had anticipated that the statement would happen a little later in the day, and I have been caught slightly unawares and missed the deadline. I have been around this place long enough to know that timings will alter, but I humbly apologise to the House and, indeed, all Members for missing the deadline. My intention had been to brief the Chair and the Deputy Chair of the Committee prior to the statement. Obviously, because of the timings, that was not possible. I put on record that, subsequent to today's statements, officials and I will be available to the Chair and the Deputy Chair to discuss any details that are not drawn out by questions. I am happy to meet them after the statements.”
“I should indicate that many very affluent economies throughout the world took part in TIMSS, so Northern Ireland was not being compared with countries that always have difficulties in that regard.”
“The TIMSS findings showed that we are considerably ahead of our international comparators. There are issues — I know this from the previous Question Time — with ensuring that there is broadband availability, and there is always more that can be done. What it showed was that 96% of students here had access to a computer or tablet, which is well ahead of our comparators, although that does not necessarily mean that those students have individual access at home. To cover the situation, particularly during lockdown, more than 10,000 devices have so far been provided to our most disadvantaged and vulnerable learners. However, there is further work to be done. <BR /> <BR />Looking at the independent report and the comparisons with other jurisdictions, we see that we are well ahead of the international average.”
“<BR /> <BR />The findings emphasise that year 6 pupils in particular in Northern Ireland experience high academic success, that there are very few problems with school discipline, and that classrooms are safe and orderly. It is the case — this is a lesson as well — that the most successful countries are those with the smallest gap between those at a socio-economic advantage and those at a socio-economic disadvantage. <BR /> <BR />While there is a great deal of work to be done on that in Northern Ireland, it is noticeable that our figures show that, for maths and science, the gap between affluent and socially deprived children was considerably lower than it was for our international comparators involved in TIMSS. That shows that, in many ways, there has been a lot of good work, but, of course, there is a still much good work to be done.”
“Certainly, I welcome that report. In the dark days that we have had, it is fairly good news. In the TIMSS report that was published today, in mathematics, we are the seventh-highest performer in the world among those who were submitted. I think that around 58 countries were put in. Of those countries that are wholly in Europe, we were the top European country. I suppose that I will do this on a cross-community basis and say that we significantly outperformed pupils in England and the Republic of Ireland in that subject. <BR /> <BR />In science, there was also a strong performance, with about 18 countries ahead of us and 28 below us. It should be remembered that some jurisdictions did not participate in TIMSS, possibly because of a suspicion that they would not get the result that they wanted. That makes our position even more impressive.”
“Again, there is always a bit of a balance to be struck in trying to ensure that people do not have to travel too far while ensuring that there is an element of specialist quality. As with anything, if you simply spread that too thinly, you do not get the quality. If there was to be, for instance, extra provision directly either through additional schools or units, in the first instance, that would be for the EA. If it requires a development proposal, that would be something that I, as Minister, would have to sign off on, but, certainly, we want to make sure that every provision is made for our special educational needs students.”
“<BR /> <BR />To be fair to the Finance Minister, we are potentially going to be in quite a difficult situation across the board next year because, effectively, once you take out particular elements of COVID, or at least one major ring-fenced element, the financial settlement that will be provided to the Executive is likely to be pretty close to flatlined cash, which will make things very difficult. Implementing the SEN regulations is a priority and a critical commitment, and I will do everything that I can to move them as fully and as fast as I can.”
“The current arrangements, the terms of the SEN regulations and the code of practice are things that all of us would welcome. The fine details are out for consultation, which will finish before the end of Christmas. I hope to move ahead with that in as full a way as possible as soon as I can. <BR /> <BR />The only issue, which, again, I urge Members around the Chamber to support me on, is the requirement for a significant financial investment. In this year's Budget, around £7·5 million was directly allocated to that. A full-year cost will be £30 million. Therefore, resources will have to be either provided or found. To some extent, the speed of movement on that will depend on the wider financial settlement that we are able to reach. I believe that the Finance Minister is hoping to bring proposals on draft Budgets to the House fairly soon.”
“At the moment, it would be a significant change if we were to move to the scenario where either school has sixth-form provision as opposed to school ending for pupils at age 16. I do not have any particular problem with that per se, but it would come as a development proposal (DP). <BR /> <BR />As for the current situation, any development proposal would need to come through the managing authority. At present, there have not been any published DPs for Nendrum College or Glastry College from the EA. If that were to be considered, it would have to be initiated through those organisations. It may be that it has, again, been overtaken by other events. The Member may want to raise that directly with the new chair of the Education Authority, Mr Barry Mulholland, whose appointment was announced today.”
“If a number of schools, for instance, have year-on-year issues with getting temporary variations, that can be taken into account. Legally, the definition for a development proposal will be a significant change. However, it strikes me that, where there are scenarios that are simply reflecting what has happened on the ground, that will need to be put into place. With regard to any specific development proposal, that will come as a legal process that I, as Minister, and the Department will have to give a direct verdict on. I cannot comment on any individual development proposal.”
“I thank the Member for her question. As the Member is aware, there has been pressure on places, particularly at some post-primary schools in the Ards area, in recent years. In light of this, 90 extra places were allocated across the Strangford constituency in advance of the 2020 process. We tried, to some extent, to get ahead with that. There will be some reduction in pressures in 2021 because a smaller cohort will be transferring. In addition, I have put in an initial 10 places in advance of 2021, but my Department stands ready to allocate further temporary variations. For permanent change, a development proposal would need to take place. <BR /> <BR />To try to judge where the pressures are in the area, I want to look at a new policy of rightsizing and normalisation, as it is called, across the board in Northern Ireland.”
“The framework will try to marry the two issues, so it will be early in the new year for both.”
“Part of it will be testing out and then trying to embed what is very successful and, perhaps, shift resources.”
“<BR /> <BR />There may be some possibilities to look at what can be done next year and, while COVID funding will still be available in 2021-22, I am sure that the Finance Minister, if he was here, would indicate that it is roughly about a quarter of what it was in total. There is still the possibility to bid for further COVID money, but the aim is, in addition to the COVID money, to have something secured within the Budget on a rolling annual basis. <BR /> <BR />Of the original £6·5 million, as this is the first year of additional funding, some of that will be through pilot programming. We have to see what works in practice. What may work in West Belfast may not work in West Tyrone, or what works in a primary school may not work in a special school or a post-primary school.”
“I thank the Member for her question. There are actually two funds, and she may be slightly mixing up the two. Of the £5 million that was recently allocated, £4·75 million was directly for schools; the other £0·25 million was for the Youth Service, because obviously there were gaps there. That was specifically money that I had put forward a proposal for. The Executive endorsed that and provided it via the COVID side of things. <BR /> <BR />With regard to the £1·5 million that the Member referred to, there are plans to have a wider, embedded £6·5 million in addition to the £5 million. The £6·5 million is for mental health and well-being, with that contribution from Health because of the crossover issues. The aim is for that to roll out in the new year.”
“I should say that, although history was one of my favourite subjects at school and is something that a lot of politicians in Northern Ireland will always get accused of being immersed in, I do not really think that there is a great deal of point in trying to decide retrospectively what should have happened five years ago or 10 years ago. Trying to meet the challenges of where we are now is probably the more appropriate response. As I indicated, as part of the outstanding recommendations, we will look at what is appropriate to be put in place. How it can be put in place will lie with the independent review, which hopefully will soon be initiated.”
“The report refers to the fact that, where there are outstanding recommendations, a number of them are part of a wider picture and some may not be 100% appropriate, but the consideration of that is in the wider revised draft terms of reference that hopefully will form part of the independent review. I have submitted a paper to the Executive on that. Any independent review would take forward anything that is outstanding from that.”