geoff barton there. prisoners, hoping the move will bring progress in peace talks. the council includes both afg hanistan‘s elected leaders, ashraf ghani and abdullah abdullah, and it agreed to the release after meeting for a third day in kabul. the government has already complied with taliban demands to release several thousand other prisoners but the remaining four hundred, described by the government as "serious criminals", had become a sticking point. it seems very significant. there is a real sense of sudden movement again and hopes coming up again of a peace process after quite a long time of stalemate. as you say, the government has already released nearly 5000 taliban prisoners, but these 400 really proved a sticking point and it did not seem as if they could find a way forward. they are people who are accused of things like murder and kidnapping, involvement in drug trafficking, and basically, the government had tried to come up with ways around it. they had offered substitutes, for example. the

earlier i spoke to geoff barton, the general secretary of the association of school and college leaders agrees it's a priority to open schools. i think what the article, essentially, with the slightly petula nt essentially, with the slightly petulant owner telling us is the thing is, one that the prime minister and that all primary children are going to back into school and at the very next day, the government on‘s guidance made that impossible because of the conditions, it said. it is not a good look, secondly, very government that encourages people to go to pubs and measurements, incentivising them to do that when children are sitting at home. and thirdly, by blaming the unions for all of this. we, the same trade unions have worked with the welsh government where every child has been able to go back into skill before the summer holiday because we had the moral imperative to it. there's a lot of talk from the government behind the scenes about this trade—off, if it comes to that, if it is necessary that the government would rather shut down pubs and restaurants and schools and schools

let's speak to geoff barton, the general secretary of the association of school and college leaders. you for being with us. the prime minister has written an article for the mail on sunday saying it is a moral duty for the country to reopen schools, a national priority. do you agree with that, are you pleased the prime minister has said that?|j that, are you pleased the prime minister has said that? i think a lot of people will read that and wonder why it was not a priority early on. what the article essentially says in a slightly petula nt to essentially says in a slightly petulant to is telling us three things. one is that number ten has a nice little primary children will go back into school, and the next day the government because ‘s and guidance make that possible because of the conditions itself. secondly, it is not a good look for a government that seems to be encouraging people to go to pubs and restau ra nts encouraging people to go to pubs and restaurants when its children are sitting at home. thirdly, by blaming the unions for all of this, the same trade union support with

geoff barton is the general secretary of the association of school and college leaders.yed? i certainly think it would be good to have that decision. you have teachers planning the scheme of work for the year and young people in year 11 or 13 wondering what their exams would be like andi wondering what their exams would be like and i think to say let's build more teaching time in four teachers would be really reassuring and eve ryo ne would be really reassuring and everyone would think that was a good idea. doesn't go to the heart of the issue which is what if there is a local lockdown next year. we would be exactly where we are now. the concept of at... we could do something more radical and make sure something more radical and make sure some of the assessment young people will do at the end of their course could be being done during the course. they could sit some of the assessments and even if not used, they would have some under their belt in the case of a local lockdown if we have to be a bit more radical in ourthinking and if we have to be a bit more radical in our

geoff barton is the general secretary of the association of school and college leaders — the public bodyusand members. he is calling for an immediate, independent review into exam grading this year and leann swain is the headteacher at east barnett school in north london. welcome and thank you forjoining us. welcome and thank you forjoining us. if i might start with you, i would like to know what difference is the government climbed down made in your school? it has made a difference for pupils. grades are not just for getting at the university, they hold with the stu d e nts university, they hold with the students the rest of their lives. these changes are important and very welcome. however, it is still incredibly frustrating and upsetting that an algorithm ignored our centre assessed grades. it was rigorous and robust neck and say with honesty that our process was fair, the government showed no trust with us and they just thought we would government showed no trust with us and theyjust thought we would give oui’ and theyjust thought we would give our students a and b grades. 0ur young

geoff barton is the head of the headteachers‘ union, the association of school and college leaders. for so many students. we are hearing that while a—level, a* and a grades have gone up a—level, a* and a grades have gone up 296, a—level, a* and a grades have gone up 2%, 40% of results are different, mostly lower tha n up 2%, 40% of results are different, mostly lower than those protected by teachers. what is your reaction to that and what sort of feedback have you been getting from head teachers? i think today, while some people will be celebrating the fact that statistical models appear to be working, this is not about statistics, it is about individuals. it is great to have been able to talk about individuals and see their su ccesses . talk about individuals and see their successes. what my members are seeing is when you look at what that can mean for some of them, those 40% getting a great lower, but does have consequences, so for example a head teacher in the north—east contacted me seeing a young man with a disadvantaged background who will be first generation going to universi

—— geoff barton, you are from.missed out on rights of passage, not giving exams, not having shared signs, not saying goodbye to the teachers. we have tried to make sure that children get the grades that they deserve. we we re the grades that they deserve. we were talking to students in scotland, most of the ones we talked to have them fantastically well. at some students will think the system has not worked for them, maybe they wa nted has not worked for them, maybe they wanted an exam situation, maybe they did not use so well in the build—up. what are your concerns about the number of people that will appeal, possibly justifiably so, and number of people that will appeal, possiblyjustifiably so, and the system has worked against them. the most important thing is they understand the system, if i have a brand—new history teacher understand the system, if i have a brand— new history teacher who understand the system, if i have a brand—new history teacher who only started last year or who does not like me, iwould be w

geoff barton is the general secretary of that teachers' union. hello, mr barton. good morning. can allow pupils or their staff to wear masks if they say so, you do not have to wait for something from the government, do you? know, what i would say is the people i represent, 20,000 head teachers and deputies, know a lot about teaching and running schools and colleges and we do not know a lot about face mask, yet we have lots of pa rents lot about face mask, yet we have lots of parents asking us about this, quite rightly, because they are anxious. then we see what is happening in scotland and we hear from the who. the guidance from westminster did not say that young people did not need to wear a face mask, and i heard the schools minister say this on the bbc yesterday, is they should not wear them because it increases hygiene risks because they fiddle around with their masks all the time. pa rents with their masks all the time. parents will say i want my child to wear a face mask and staff will say that, so should they be saying it is purely a matter for you, that, so should they

we‘re joined now by the general secretary of the association of school and college leaders, geoff bartons well. exam results in this country are used partly tojudge results in this country are used partly to judge children, partly to judge teachers, partly to judge the performance of schools. how well is the country doing? you would want the country doing? you would want the department for education to ask probing questions about, can they be reassured this process will work? it is looking to all of us, i would suspect, probably including the secretary of state. sorry about that. i thought you had finished. there was a slight technicaljump on your line. i know you listened to those students at the sixth form couegein those students at the sixth form college in london. you can see with their reaction, it is a microcosm of what is happening right across the united kingdom. there are a full sun but for many that decision has come too late and they find themselves in a difficult decision to know what to do next. —— for some. a difficult decision to know what to do next. -- for some. question

geoff barton is the head of the teachers' union, the association of school and college leaders.ing us. are you convinced, at this point? we are definitely convinced about the lower risk rates for children and young people in terms of transmission between them and also with adults and school. that's really not the argument. we are expecting all children will be able to go back to school when term starts on the next few weeks. what we are saying is that what we also know is that that movement of young people through the community is likely to lead to increased virus infection. so, what is the plan be? if it were the case, like in leicester, when there was a lot done and they had to close the schools, if that happens, what happens? good leadership is notjust about rhetoric or moral duty, it is also scenario planning that reassures pa rents also scenario planning that reassures parents and people working in schools that we have done the thinking through, particularly for those winter months when the government says we will have exams running as usual. what if some children can't do

we're joined now by the general secretary of the association of school and college leaders, geoff bartone to guidance? here i was this time yesterday morning essentially saying parents looked at the world health organisation and seeing what is happening in scotland, they will inevitably say what does this mean for my child in england? we called for the government not to say whether covering should or shouldn't, saying you need to give us clarity and they have done that. we know if you are in an area of high risk you will have to wear a face covering in secondary schools. if you are not, thenit secondary schools. if you are not, then it will be at the discretion of your school or college. that clarity, which gives flexibility, will be welcomed not by everybody, but i think a lot of head teachers and senior leaders i represent. but i think a lot of head teachers and senior leaders i representm flexibility what is needed? would it not be easierfor flexibility what is needed? would it not be easier for head teachers and pa rents to not be easier for head teachers and parents to know it was o

geoff barton is the general secretary.e i represent, 20,000 head teachers and deputies, know a lot about teaching, the curriculum, running schools and colleges. we do not know a lot about facemasks and yet we are having parents asking about it, quite rightly, because they are anxious. then we see what happens and we see what happens with the world health organization. the guidance comes from westminster and it did not say young people do not need to wear face mask, and it did not say young people do not need to wearface mask, and i heard the schools minister say this on the bbc yesterday, that they should not wear it because it increases hygiene risks because they are fiddling around with their masks all the time. you are right, my members are ina time. you are right, my members are in a position where the parents and staff will say i want them to wear a face mask, so should they be saying thatis face mask, so should they be saying that is fine, it is a matter for you? or if we are going to have a screeching u—turn, can we

we have a regular guest on this programme, geoff barton, from the association, he says it would createades ready for result stay and not cause a backlog in the system. do you think there is enough resources to make sure the timeframe you are talking about would actually work? well that is a very good question and it will be very important that whatever the government decides to do, it underpins it with adequate resources and of course that does include having, as you say, enough people to be able to manage the exams and to mark them. but we found money, quite rightly, the government has found money to mitigate the other very damaging impacts of the coronavirus of the furlough scheme for example, to keep people in workforce. absolutely the right thing to do. it a lwa ys absolutely the right thing to do. it always seems that when it comes to finding the resources to give young people the rights and every protection, the government puts them at the back of the queue and that isn't acceptable. we have to have young people and their futures is our absolute priority.” young people and their

let's speak to geoff who joins us now. jeff barton, good morning to you.tant to go through what's been announced. there are three options for students as they open their results tomorrow. one is they use their moderated grades based on the teachers predictions, the ones which have caused all the problems in scotland. let's go through the other two. they can if they appeal go back to their results from their mock examinations. what, in your view, results from their mock examinations. what, in yourview, is the problem with that? i'd say two points. i think the first thing i would say is that result still to be a day where we are celebrating what stu d e nts a day where we are celebrating what students have achieved and the work of their teachers, and it's so frustrating that here we are with further swirling distraction from what is supposed to be a celebrate easter is a let's hope we can put it to bed today. the second point is, asi to bed today. the second point is, as i understand from what i heard last night, the mock exam will count in some way if a stu

geoff barton is the general secretary for the association of school & college leaders. good afternoon to you. good afternoon. goodness, where does this leave, where do the last 24—hour sleeve the people you represent and speakfor? sleeve the people you represent and speak for? i think none of us quite knew what results day was going to look like an what happened was a result stay in more normal time. there is a sense of the teaching profession having stepped up and leaders doing everything we can and all of those smiling faces, there will be disappointment inevitably, but all of those smiling faces will bring some sense of normality to young people who will be craving that and looking forward to the next step. these qualifications do not

let's discuss this with geoff barton from the association of school and college leaders.hances in life. when you have the select committee on twitter this morning describing this as a shambles it is not a good look for a country that needs to do its best for its young people and where we are looking to the gcse results next week. we're forward to talking to that in an hours time. how much pressure does this put on teachers who this week got to deal with gcs ease and a possible repeat performance. there is significant pressure. just before coming here, i had a meeting with members and they spent yesterday trying to persuade universities to show a greater generosity of spirit and take young people with a lower grade who are absolutely the right people to go into university. i would like to come back to that because i think universities need to step up and play their part. secondly he said he then spent the evening being deluged with e—mails from people wanting to know what the guidance meant. and then he has woken up this morning saying that he is now having e—mails from pa

geoff barton is the general secretary for the association of school & college leaders.odness, where does this leave, where do the last 24—hour sleeve the people you represent and speakfor? sleeve the people you represent and speak for? i think none of us quite knew what results day was going to look like an what happened was a result stay in more normal time. there is a sense of the teaching profession having stepped up and leaders doing everything we can and all of those smiling faces, there will be disappointment inevitably, but all of those smiling faces will bring some sense of normality to young people who will be craving that and looking forward to the next step. these qualifications do not define them as a human being but open doors to the next phase of learning and many will be looking to the future instead of the present. the situation young people are in today, do you feel the decision ultimately has made the best of a bad situation? it's not ideal, it would have been best if everyone could have taken their exams but in terms of gcses are things as right as th