Labour Councillors in Brighton & Hove are concerned that the government have not cancelled the BTec exams due to take place this week and throughout the month, despite cancelling the summer A-Level and GCSE exams, and despite schools and colleges being closed throughout the national lockdown.

Many colleges and sector representatives are warning that the BTec exams cannot go ahead fairly or safely for students, with some colleges having already taken the decision to cancel exams for their students.

Labour say the government is showing a lack of leadership by leaving it up to schools and colleges to decide whether or not to go ahead with BTec exams this week, though. A national decision to cancel them would have been fairer, rather than this compromise that will see some colleges choosing to cancel and others going ahead.

Labour Councillor Amanda Grimshaw, who sits on the council’s Children, Young People & Skills Committee said:

“Parents have been in contact with Councillors with grave concerns about having to send their children into education settings this week. Many were expecting the BTecs to have been delayed due to the lockdown, and one telling me their teenager was now in a state of anxiety and fear about the health risks of attending college to sit their exams.

“Parents and pupils should not be faced with the choice of exams vs health risks, and this lack of leadership from the government is causing significant anxiety for BTec students which is unacceptable.”

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