skynewspolitics--2020-08-15--Student anger grows over A-levels as exams regulator Ofqual suspends appeals policy

Students have pledged to hold the government to account over the A-level results row as the exams regulator for England dramatically suspended its policy on mock exam appeals .
Around 280,000 students saw their grades fall by one grade or more following the introduction of a new algorithm , which was put in place after the coronavirus lockdown led to exams being cancelled .
But students have been left furious by the new system , with many losing their places on their chosen courses after not meeting the required grades .
In a new development , exams regulator Ofqual released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criteria for students hoping to challenge their A-level grades on the basis of their mock exam results was `` being reviewed '' by its board .
It came just hours after Ofqual published guidance about its appeals process announced by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson .
Ofqual said in a statement : `` Earlier today we published information about mock exam results in appeals .
This policy is being reviewed by the Ofqual Board and further information will be published in due course . ''
Guidance issued earlier said that any student whose calculated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can appeal to have their grade changed .
Labour has accused the education secretary of backtracking on assurances given to students about the appeals process .
Mr Williamson gave a `` triple lock '' commitment that students could use the highest result out of their teacher 's predicted grade , their mock exam or sitting the actual exam in the autumn .
However , in its original guidance Ofqual said that if the mock result was higher than the teacher 's prediction , it was the teacher 's prediction which would count .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not usually cover the full range of content , the assessments took into account a student 's performance across the whole course .
Labour 's shadow education secretary Kate Green said : `` Gavin Williamson promised to give students a triple lock , but instead he left many devastated by unfair exam results , and now his commitment to give them another chance is rapidly unravelling . ''
Many youngsters gathered in London 's Hyde Park on Saturday for another day of protests .
Safaa Badar , who saw two of her A-level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned the government that students wo n't vote for the Conservatives at the next election due to the impact the controversy has had on their futures .
She told Sky News : `` I hope they consider the fact that we are the next voters , we 've now turned 18 , absolutely the government will be scrutinised , they will be held accountable for their actions .
`` In no way we will be tolerating this ...
The entire situation is chaos . ''
Her friend Noor Abdain added : `` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely disregarded our abilities and everything we 've been working towards for the last two years .
`` This is not what we deserve and the government needs to come up with a better system .
They 've not considered at all what this is going to do to many young people going into society , we 're the next generation . ''
The government has confirmed schools in England will be able to appeal against A-level and GCSE grades for free .
State-funded schools and colleges will also be able to claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as fees for autumn exams , the Department for Education said .
Students in Wales will also be able to appeal against their A-level grades if they are lower than teachers ' predictions .
The Welsh government announced the plan following outcry over 42 % of all A-level grades in the country being lowered during the moderation process .

Students are vowing to hold the government to account over the A-level results row as the exams regulator for England suddenly suspended its own policy on exam appeals.
Around 280,000 students saw their grades fall by one grade or more following the introduction of a new algorithm, which was put in place after the coronavirus lockdown led to exams being cancelled.
But students have been left furious by the new system, with many losing their places on their chosen courses after not meeting the required grades.
Yesterday, the exams regulator Ofqual published guidance about its appeals process announced by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson.
But late last night, Ofqual's board said it is reviewing its own criteria for students who hope to challenge their A-level grades on the basis of their mock exam results.
Image: Gavin Williamson has defended the government's approach to grading students
Ofqual said in a statement: "Earlier today we published information about mock exam results in appeals. This policy is being reviewed by the Ofqual Board and further information will be published in due course."
Conservative MP Robert Halfon, the chair of the House of Commons' Education Committee, branded the development "farcical".
And shadow education secretary Kate Green MP, said: "The Tories' results fiasco is turning from tragedy to farce, and the chaos and incompetence is completely unacceptable when so many students and families have been devastated by it."
She added that the algorithm and system in place "has completely failed".
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Labour has accused Mr Williamson of backtracking on assurances given to students about the appeals process.
He had promised a "triple lock" commitment for students to get the highest result out of their given grade, their mock exam or sitting the actual exam in the autumn.
But in its original guidance Ofqual had said that if the mock result was higher than the teacher's prediction, it was the teacher's prediction which would count.
The regulator said while mock exams did not usually cover the full range of content, the assessments took into account a student's performance across the whole course.
Ms Green said: "Gavin Williamson promised to give students a triple lock, but instead he left many devastated by unfair exam results, and now his commitment to give them another chance is rapidly unravelling."
Image: Noor Abdain (left) and Safaa Badar said they were left angry by the exam result row
Many youngsters gathered in London's Hyde Park on Saturday for another day of protests and more demonstrations are expected later today.
Safaa Badar, who saw two of her A-level grades fall under the new system, warned the government that students won't vote for the Conservatives at the next election due to the impact the controversy has had on their futures.
She told Sky News: "I hope they consider the fact that we are the next voters, we've now turned 18, absolutely the government will be scrutinised, they will be held accountable for their actions.
"In no way we will be tolerating this... the entire situation is chaos."
Her friend Noor Abdain added: "The system the government used for this has completely disregarded our abilities and everything we've been working towards for the last two years.
"This is not what we deserve and the government needs to come up with a better system. They've not considered at all what this is going to do to many young people going into society, we're the next generation."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:16 PM defends A-level results as 'robust'
The government has confirmed schools in England will be able to appeal against A-level and GCSE grades for free.
State-funded schools and colleges will also be able to claim back the cost of unsuccessful appeals as well as fees for autumn exams, the Department for Education said.
Students in Wales will also be able to appeal against their A-level grades if they are lower than teachers' predictions.
The Welsh government announced the plan following outcry over 42% of all A-level grades in the country being lowered during the moderation process.


skynewspolitics--2020-08-15--Britons miss France quarantine deadline amid signs of second virus wave in Europe

Many British holidaymakers have opted to remain in France after missing the deadline to return home ahead of new quarantine rules , amid signs Europe is suffering a second wave of coronavirus .
Tens of thousands of Britons scrambled to make it back across the Channel on Friday , with anyone entering the UK from France after 4am on Saturday required to self-isolate for 14 days .
And as a number of governments in Europe imposed new restrictions on people crossing their borders from certain neighbouring countries , fears are growing that the continent 's second coronavirus wave is under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections in France and Spain this week , Germany announced on Saturday it had seen its biggest daily rise in COVID-19 cases in more than three months .
And after the desperate rush to make it back in time to avoid new quarantine measures overnight , Sky News ' Europe correspondent Michelle Clifford described Calais as `` incredibly quiet '' on Saturday .
Eurotunnel bosses said it carried nearly 30 % more vehicles from France to the UK on Friday than forecast .
A total of 22 extra departures were laid on , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicles , it said .
While some people in Calais complained of much higher prices on planes , trains and ferries , others were `` remarkably philosophical '' about the British government 's decision and understood why it had been taken , Clifford said .
However , some travellers questioned why the measure needed to apply to the whole of France and could not be implemented on a regional basis .
The Chocher family told Sky News they were sticking to their original plan and would head back to the UK next week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife Stephanie is French and - having missed Saturday 's 4am deadline - they will remain with her parents in Calais .
Her father , Dominique Machart , lamented the likely effects of the new measure - describing it as as `` brutal decision '' .
`` There are a lot of towns , particularly along the coast that survive on a lot of British tourism and so the French economy is going to take a hit , '' he told Sky News .
Eve Hart , from Ramsbottom , Greater Manchester , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ southwest France with her family on Monday - and they are now going to the Lake District instead .
Ms Hart said the fact they did not travel to France before the restriction was introduced was `` probably a good thing '' , adding : `` We kind of knew it was coming , but it was pretty gutting . ''
Peter Norris managed to get on one of the last flights on Friday night out of Nice , in the south of France , saying another two weeks of quarantine would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's not like during lockdown , where you can go for a run , go to the shops , come back , '' he said .
`` None of that , we have to stay in , for two weeks . ''
With many Britons cancelling trips to France planned for September , businesses running campsites in Brittany , wine-tasting tours in the Loire Valley or mountain treks in the Alps are also expected to suffer .
Laurent Duc , president of the French hotel branch of the UMIH ( Union of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the impact of British tourists ' absence would be `` enormous '' .
`` They are our biggest customers , '' he told Le Parisien , adding that hopes of many British people visiting in September would now `` go by the wayside '' .
`` We will have sectoral closures that do not bode well for tourism , because a hotel can remain open but without bars and restaurants , it is no longer of interest , '' he said .
The French government has suggested it will impose reciprocal measures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hobble travel and tourism between the two countries .
Boris Johnson 's government insists it had to make the decision in light of a 66 % spike in confirmed coronavirus cases in France in the past week .
The Netherlands , Malta , Monaco and the Caribbean islands of Aruba and Turks & Caicos have also been added to the UK 's quarantine list for the same reason .
In the UK , another 1,012 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus were announced on Saturday - the fifth day in a row there have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around a second spike of cases in France continue to grow , with officials there reporting 2,846 new coronavirus cases in the 24 hours to Friday - bringing the total for the week to over 12,900 .
Paris extended the areas of the city where pedestrians will have to wear masks from Saturday morning after health officials said COVID-19 was `` active '' in the French capital and the Mediterranean city of Marseille .
It comes after Spain , the most popular summer holiday destination for British tourists , was taken off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking on Saturday , Germany 's health minister described party holidays as `` irresponsible '' .
He made the remarks while defending a decision to declare nearly all of Spain - including the tourist island of Mallorca - a coronavirus risk region following a surge in cases there .
`` I know how much the Germans love Spain .
But unfortunately the infection rates there are rising sharply , too sharply , '' Jens Spahn told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper .
`` Whoever goes to Spain despite the warning should protect themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holidays are irresponsible in this pandemic . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker People entering Germany from designated risk regions face a coronavirus test or two weeks ' compulsory quarantine .
And Mr Spahn 's comments came as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany rose by 1,415 to 222,828 - the biggest increase since late April , data from the Robert Koch Institute ( RKI ) for infectious diseases showed on Saturday .
Italy 's health minister voiced concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in neighbouring countries , suggesting the nation was now `` surrounded by contagions '' .

Many British holidaymakers have opted to remain in France after missing the deadline to return home ahead of new quarantine rules, amid signs Europe is suffering a second wave of coronavirus.
Tens of thousands of Britons scrambled to make it back across the Channel on Friday, with anyone entering the UK from France after 4am on Saturday required to self-isolate for 14 days.
And as a number of governments in Europe imposed new restrictions on people crossing their borders from certain neighbouring countries, fears are growing that the continent's second coronavirus wave is under way.
After a sharp growth in infections in France and Spain this week, Germany announced on Saturday it had seen its biggest daily rise in COVID-19 cases in more than three months.
And after the desperate rush to make it back in time to avoid new quarantine measures overnight, Sky News' Europe correspondent Michelle Clifford described Calais as "incredibly quiet" on Saturday.
Eurotunnel bosses said it carried nearly 30% more vehicles from France to the UK on Friday than forecast. A total of 22 extra departures were laid on, carrying more than 30,000 passengers in 11,600 vehicles, it said.
While some people in Calais complained of much higher prices on planes, trains and ferries, others were "remarkably philosophical" about the British government's decision and understood why it had been taken, Clifford said.
However, some travellers questioned why the measure needed to apply to the whole of France and could not be implemented on a regional basis.
Image: Omar Chocher and his wife Stephanie, pictured with her parents, have decided to stay in Calais
The Chocher family told Sky News they were sticking to their original plan and would head back to the UK next week.
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Omar Chocher is British and his wife Stephanie is French and - having missed Saturday's 4am deadline - they will remain with her parents in Calais.
Her father, Dominique Machart, lamented the likely effects of the new measure - describing it as as "brutal decision".
"There are a lot of towns, particularly along the coast that survive on a lot of British tourism and so the French economy is going to take a hit," he told Sky News.
Eve Hart, from Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester, should have been heading to Carcassonne in southwest France with her family on Monday - and they are now going to the Lake District instead.
Ms Hart said the fact they did not travel to France before the restriction was introduced was "probably a good thing", adding: "We kind of knew it was coming, but it was pretty gutting."
Peter Norris managed to get on one of the last flights on Friday night out of Nice, in the south of France, saying another two weeks of quarantine would have been "incredibly inconvenient".
"It's not like during lockdown, where you can go for a run, go to the shops, come back," he said.
"None of that, we have to stay in, for two weeks."
With many Britons cancelling trips to France planned for September, businesses running campsites in Brittany, wine-tasting tours in the Loire Valley or mountain treks in the Alps are also expected to suffer.
Laurent Duc, president of the French hotel branch of the UMIH (Union of hotel trades and industries), predicted the impact of British tourists' absence would be "enormous".
"They are our biggest customers," he told Le Parisien, adding that hopes of many British people visiting in September would now "go by the wayside".
"We will have sectoral closures that do not bode well for tourism, because a hotel can remain open but without bars and restaurants, it is no longer of interest," he said.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:05 Britons rush to beat quarantine deadline
The French government has suggested it will impose reciprocal measures, a move that is set to further hobble travel and tourism between the two countries.
Boris Johnson's government insists it had to make the decision in light of a 66% spike in confirmed coronavirus cases in France in the past week.
The Netherlands, Malta, Monaco and the Caribbean islands of Aruba and Turks & Caicos have also been added to the UK's quarantine list for the same reason.
In the UK, another 1,012 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus were announced on Saturday - the fifth day in a row there have been more than 1,000 new infections.
Concerns around a second spike of cases in France continue to grow, with officials there reporting 2,846 new coronavirus cases in the 24 hours to Friday - bringing the total for the week to over 12,900.
Paris extended the areas of the city where pedestrians will have to wear masks from Saturday morning after health officials said COVID-19 was "active" in the French capital and the Mediterranean city of Marseille.
It comes after Spain, the most popular summer holiday destination for British tourists, was taken off the quarantine exempt list last month.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:48 Family get home from France during Sky interview
And speaking on Saturday, Germany's health minister described party holidays as "irresponsible".
He made the remarks while defending a decision to declare nearly all of Spain - including the tourist island of Mallorca - a coronavirus risk region following a surge in cases there.
"I know how much the Germans love Spain. But unfortunately the infection rates there are rising sharply, too sharply," Jens Spahn told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.
"Whoever goes to Spain despite the warning should protect themselves and others while on holiday. Party holidays are irresponsible in this pandemic."
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People entering Germany from designated risk regions face a coronavirus test or two weeks' compulsory quarantine.
And Mr Spahn's comments came as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany rose by 1,415 to 222,828 - the biggest increase since late April, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Saturday.
Italy's health minister voiced concerns earlier this week about rising numbers of cases in neighbouring countries, suggesting the nation was now "surrounded by contagions".


skynewspolitics--2020-08-15--Public Health England 'set to be axed' over response to COVID-19 pandemic

Public Health England ( PHE ) is set to be scrapped and replaced with a unit that will specifically deal with pandemics , it has been reported .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock is set to announce the move later this week , and will merge the NHS Test and Trace scheme with the work done by PHE on the coronavirus response , according to the Sunday Telegraph .
The overhaul comes after repeated reports that ministers have been frustrated and unhappy with the way PHE , which was created by former health secretary Jeremy Hunt in 2013 , has dealt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adopted a new way of counting daily deaths from COVID-19 after concerns were raised that the method used by PHE officials overstated them .
Responding to the Sunday Telegraph report , a Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said : `` Public Health England have played an integral role in our national response to this unprecedented global pandemic .
`` We have always been clear that we must learn the right lessons from this crisis to ensure that we are in the strongest possible position , both as we continue to deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future public health threat . ''
Doctor and broadcaster Dr Phil Hammond tweeted : `` @ PHE_uk is under direct control of @ MattHancock .
If it has failed , he has failed .
The National Institute for Health Protection is simply the Health Protection Agency we used to have before it was merged into @ PHE_uk in 2012 with 40 % budget cuts .
Hancock will still be in charge . ''
The new body will be called the Institute for Health Protection and will become `` effective '' next month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spring , the paper said .
It is said to be based on a similar model in Germany , which used an independent agency to take control of the country 's response to the pandemic .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Baroness Dido Harding , the Conservative peer who is currently heading up Test and Trace , is being tipped to run the new department .
`` We want to bring together the science and the scale in one new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can to stop a second coronavirus spike this autumn , '' a senior minister told the Sunday Telegraph .
Meanwhile , Test and Trace call centres are set to be wound down over the next few months , and replaced with local teams run by councils , like the system put in place in Sandwell , in the West Midlands .
It comes after more lockdown measures across England were lifted , with casinos , ice rinks and spa treatments able to operate again .
PHE is an executive agency of the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operational autonomy and its own chief executive , Duncan Selbie .
Its creation in 2013 brought together public health specialists from more than 70 organisations into a single service .
PHE now employs the equivalent of 5,500 full-time staff , made up mostly of scientists , researchers and public health professionals .
It has eight local centres across England 's regions , as well as one in London .

Public Health England (PHE) is set to be scrapped and replaced with a unit that will specifically deal with pandemics, it has been reported.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock is set to announce the move later this week, and will merge the NHS Test and Trace scheme with the work done by PHE on the coronavirus response, according to the Sunday Telegraph.
The overhaul comes after repeated reports that ministers have been frustrated and unhappy with the way PHE, which was created by former health secretary Jeremy Hunt in 2013, has dealt with the coronavirus crisis.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:33 Trials of second contact-tracing app launched
The government adopted a new way of counting daily deaths from COVID-19, after concerns were raised that the method used by PHE officials overstated them.
Five deaths of people with COVID-19 were recorded on Saturday, according to government data while 1,040 tested positive in the 24 hours up to 9am on Sunday - a rise from Saturday's 1,012.
It marks the sixth day in a row that more than 1,000 new confirmed cases have been recorded in the UK.
Responding to the Sunday Telegraph report, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "Public Health England have played an integral role in our national response to this unprecedented global pandemic.
"We have always been clear that we must learn the right lessons from this crisis to ensure that we are in the strongest possible position, both as we continue to deal with COVID-19 and to respond to any future public health threat."
The new body will be called the Institute for Health Protection and will become "effective" next month, but will not be fully complete until the spring, the paper said.
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It is said to be based on a similar model in Germany, which has used the independent Robert Koch Institute to take control of the country's response to the pandemic.
Image: PHE's work will be merged with the Test and Trace service to create the Institute for Health Protection
Professor Dr Dirk Brockmann, project group leader at the Robert Koch Institute, said "independence is key" as he explained how the institute works with the German government.
"It is part of the federal government but is run independently," he told Sky News.
"The science we produce, we can say something about it and do so independently.
"You can have both, I think."
Chris Hopson, head of NHS Providers, representing medics, said PHE's remit was too wide and meant it struggled to cope with COVID-19.
He said the fact it has always been an executive agency of the Department of Health gave ministers direct control of its activities, meaning the government is responsible for it, not just PHE's leadership team.
Ministers, not PHE officials, were also driving key responsibilities such as testing in the early stages of the pandemic - and there needs to a better balance between national and local level activity, he added.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:45 Door closes for UK travellers heading abroad
Leading doctors have not welcomed the news, with many saying the move is a disruption during the ongoing global pandemic.
Dr Amitava Banerjee, associate professor at the Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, said: "If PHE has fallen short, responsibility lies firmly with the current government and health ministers.
"Rather than a rash restructuring, a sensible approach must involve a rapid enquiry to establish lessons learned for future waves and future pandemics."
Professor Dame Til Wykes, of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, said merging PHE with a "failing Track and Trace service provides little confidence for the future".
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Dr Chaand Nagpaul, British Medical Association council chairman, said budget cuts and fragmentation of PHE over the years "have hampered the response" to the pandemic.
"We must absolutely not allow PHE and its staff to shoulder the blame for wider failings and government decisions," he said.
"Public Health England should be part of a fully-integrated Public Health and NHS both locally and nationally. We also believe that Public Health doctors must be able to voice their views and policies independently in the interests of the public's health and without ministerial constraints."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:57 How babies born to COVID-19 parents are cared for
Doctor and broadcaster Dr Phil Hammond tweeted: "@PHE_uk is under direct control of @MattHancock. If it has failed, he has failed. The National Institute for Health Protection is simply the Health Protection Agency we used to have before it was merged into @PHE_uk in 2012 with 40% budget cuts. Hancock will still be in charge."
Baroness Dido Harding, the Conservative peer and former TalkTalk telecoms boss who is currently heading up Test and Trace, is being tipped to run the new department.
"We want to bring together the science and the scale in one new body so we can do all we can to stop a second coronavirus spike this autumn," a senior minister told the Sunday Telegraph.
Dr Michael Head, a senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton, said appointing Baroness Harding "makes about as much sense as (chief medical officer) Chris Whitty being appointed the Vodafone head of branding and corporate image".
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:33 Skaters back on the ice as lockdown eases
Test and Trace call centres are set to be wound down over the next few months, and replaced with local teams run by councils, like the system put in place in Sandwell, in the West Midlands.
More lockdown measures across England were lifted, with casinos, ice rinks and spa treatments able to operate again from Saturday.
PHE is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care but has operational autonomy and its own chief executive, Duncan Selbie.
Its creation in 2013 brought together public health specialists from more than 70 organisations into a single service.
PHE now employs the equivalent of 5,500 full-time staff, made up mostly of scientists, researchers and public health professionals.
It has eight local centres across England's regions, as well as one in London.


skynewspolitics--2020-08-16--'Schools are safe': Govt attempts to persuade parents to send kids to class

A new campaign to persuade parents that it is safe to send children back to school next month is being launched by the government .
In an effort to restore full time education in England , ministers want families to be aware of the measures being used to minimise the risk of coronavirus transmission .
The # backtoschoolsafely campaign `` matters on a very , very large scale , '' according to headteacher Andrea Parker , who is the face of the campaign .
She told Sky News : `` We 've got children who need that time with their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play , they need that time to socialise .
`` Children are in the habit of going to school every single day and overnight that has not happened ... it 's been quite traumatic for all of our children .
`` We really do need to make a commitment to get all our children back in . ''
Schools are aiming to stagger start times , use classroom and year-group bubbles and increase hygiene to improve safety for staff and pupils .
Speaking ahead of the campaign launch on Monday , Education Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is committed to doing everything necessary to deliver on our national priority of all students returning to schools and colleges in September .
`` All children deserve to be back in school as it is the best place for their education and well-being . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker He added : `` I know families are growing more confident that schools and colleges are ready and waiting to get back to teaching , with the right protective measures in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term approaches , now is the time for families to think about the practicalities of returning to school in September , whether that 's reassuring themselves that school is the best place for their child to be , or planning the school run to avoid public transport where possible . ''
Meanwhile , Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has warned Boris Johnson that it is his `` moral responsibility '' to open schools next month , saying in the Mail on Sunday : `` I do n't just want all children back at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back at school .
No ifs , no buts , no equivocation . ''
Labour has backed the decision to reopen schools in September , but has said an effective test and trace system must be in place , too .
The government is under pressure to get schools open , after abandoning its pledge to get most pupils back into classrooms in June .
Mr Williamson is also facing further rising anger after the A-level results scandal in which thousands of students had their results downgraded by an algorithm , with many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scandal .

A new campaign to persuade parents that it is safe to send children back to school next month is being launched by the government.
In an effort to restore full time education in England, ministers want families to be aware of the measures being used to minimise the risk of coronavirus transmission.
The #backtoschoolsafely campaign "matters on a very, very large scale," according to headteacher Andrea Parker, who is the face of the campaign.
Image: The government's campaign to get kids into schools will launch on Monday
She told Sky News: "We've got children who need that time with their friends, they need that time to play, they need that time to socialise.
"Children are in the habit of going to school every single day and overnight that has not happened... it's been quite traumatic for all of our children.
"We really do need to make a commitment to get all our children back in."
Schools are aiming to stagger start times, use classroom and year-group bubbles and increase hygiene to improve safety for staff and pupils.
Speaking ahead of the campaign launch on Monday, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "The government is committed to doing everything necessary to deliver on our national priority of all students returning to schools and colleges in September.
"All children deserve to be back in school as it is the best place for their education and well-being."
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He added: "I know families are growing more confident that schools and colleges are ready and waiting to get back to teaching, with the right protective measures in place.
"As the start of term approaches, now is the time for families to think about the practicalities of returning to school in September, whether that's reassuring themselves that school is the best place for their child to be, or planning the school run to avoid public transport where possible."
Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has warned Boris Johnson that it is his "moral responsibility" to open schools next month, saying in the Mail on Sunday: "I don't just want all children back at school next month, I expect them back at school. No ifs, no buts, no equivocation."
Labour has backed the decision to reopen schools in September, but has said an effective test and trace system must be in place, too.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:55 'Very nervous': Schools reopen in Scotland
The government is under pressure to get schools open, after abandoning its pledge to get most pupils back into classrooms in June.
Mr Williamson is also facing further rising anger after the A-level results scandal in which thousands of students had their results downgraded by an algorithm, with many saying their lives have been ruined in the scandal.


skynewspolitics--2020-08-16--Threat of legal action adds to pressure for government rethink on A-levels 'mess'

The government and the exams regulator are being threatened with legal action as pressure mounts for a rethink over the awarding of A-level grades .
Around 280,000 students saw their A-level grades fall by one grade or more from their predicted results following the introduction of a new `` moderation '' algorithm , which was put in place after the coronavirus lockdown led to exams being cancelled .
Further confusion was added to the row on Saturday night when Ofqual , the exams regulator , suddenly suspended its own policy for students wishing to appeal their results .
Just hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exam results to be considered as the basis of an appeal , the guidance was withdrawn and the regulator said it was reviewing the policy .
`` Earlier today we published information about mock exam results in appeals , '' Ofqual said in a statement .
`` This policy is being reviewed by the Ofqual Board and further information will be published in due course . ''
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson had been accused of abandoning his promise of a `` triple lock '' for students following the announcement of Ofqual 's criteria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He has said pupils can use their mock results , resit exams in the autumn , or accept the grade they had been awarded The Ofqual guidance said that if the mock result was higher than the teacher 's prediction , it was the teacher 's prediction which would count .
Conservative MP Robert Halfon , the chair of the House of Commons ' Education Committee , branded Ofqual 's actions `` unacceptable '' as he called for the `` huge mess '' to be sorted out .
Many other unhappy Tory MPs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known to the party 's whips .
Labour claimed the A-level results row was a `` fiasco turning from tragedy to farce '' as they called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to `` get a grip '' .
Paul Whiteman , general secretary of the NAHT head teachers ' union , said it was `` quite clear that the rules are being written and rewritten on the hoof '' and that thousands of students were `` suffering '' as a result .
He called on the government and Ofqual automatically to review the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grades below their teachers ' predictions .
Students have been left furious by the new system , with many losing their places on their chosen university courses after not meeting the required grades .
School leavers entering a highly-competitive jobs market are also fearing the impact of their predicted results being downgraded .
Campaigners have promised to begin High Court proceedings against Mr Williamson and Ofqual this week unless they perform a climbdown on the use of the algorithim .
Jolyon Maugham QC , who heads the Good Law Project , told Sky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a letter to Ofqual , copying in Gavin Williamson .
`` We make three points in that letter ; we say , firstly , the absence of an appeal system - a meaningful appeal system - for individual students is unlawful .
`` Second , we say the system - taken as a whole - is so unfair as also to be unlawful .
`` And thirdly , we point to Ofqual 's statutory obligation to ensure that accurate grades are delivered and we say that its failure to do that , again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defended its moderation of A-level grades , saying that some schools and colleges had submitted `` implausibly high '' A-level predictions .
But Mr Maugham argued the regulator `` has n't really paid enough attention to the quality of individual students '' .
He accused Ofqual of `` embedding structural inequality '' following widespread criticism that the regulator 's algorithm disproportionately penalised students from schools in disadvantaged communities .
The Sunday Times reported other students and parents are considering legal action , including Curtis Parfitt-Ford - a student whose petition calling for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 225,000 people .
Meanwhile , The Observer reported more than 4.6 million GCSEs in England - about 97 % of the total - will be assigned solely by Ofqual 's algorithm .
Lord Baker , a former Conservative education secretary , called for the postponement of the publication of GCSE results for two weeks due to the `` unfair and barely explicable downgrades '' of A-levels .
He told the PA news agency : `` I urge the education secretary to instruct Ofqual not to release the GCSEs results this Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Natalie Perera , executive director of the Education Policy Institute think tank , told the newspaper : `` We will almost certainly see a repeat of the many problems seen with A-levels , only with GCSEs they could be more severe . ''
A Department for Education spokesperson said : `` Ofqual has a robust model in place to ensure results this year are fair for pupils despite them not having been able to sit exams this year .
`` Standardisation ensures grades are fair for students and without it , we would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significantly undermining their value . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The government has confirmed schools in England will be able to appeal against A-level and GCSE grades for free .
State-funded schools and colleges will also be able to claim back the cost of unsuccessful appeals as well as fees for autumn exams , the Department for Education said .
Students in Wales will also be able to appeal against their A-level grades if they are lower than teachers ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan following an outcry over 42 % of all A-level grades in the country being lowered during the moderation process .

Boris Johnson has been urged to take charge of the A-level results row as the government and the exams regulator were threatened with legal action.
Hundreds of students continued to demonstrate in Westminster on Sunday, with some chanting "get Gav gone" and "come out Gavin" as they protested outside Education Secretary Gavin Williamson's departmental building.
Footage has also been shared online of one student burning her A-level results in Parliament Square.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:16 How the A-level algorithm works
Around 280,000 students in England saw their A-level grades fall by one grade or more from their predicted results following the introduction of a new "moderation" algorithm, which was put in place after the coronavirus lockdown led to exams being cancelled.
Further confusion was added to the row on Saturday night when Ofqual, the exams regulator, withdrew its criteria for mock exam results to be considered as the basis of an appeal, saying it was reviewing the policy.
The Department for Education (DfE) has since attempted to reassure students over how the appeals process will work as many of them lost university places due to their grades being lowered.
In a statement late on Sunday, a DfE spokesman said: "Hundreds of thousands of students have received a calculated grade that will enable them to progress to the next stage of their education or into work.
"We have been clear that we want to build as much fairness into the appeals process as possible to help young people in the most difficult cases and have been working with Ofqual to achieve that.
"Ofqual continues to consider how to best deliver the appeals process to give schools and pupils the clarity they need."
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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:04 'Meaningless grades mean stolen futures'
Mr Williamson has been accused of abandoning his promise of a "triple lock" for students following the announcement of Ofqual's criteria for using mock exams in appeals.
He said pupils could use their mock results, resit exams in the autumn, or accept the grade they had been awarded.
The Ofqual guidance said if the mock result was higher than the teacher's prediction, it was the teacher's prediction that would count.
Conservative MP Robert Halfon, chair of the House of Commons' Education Committee, branded Ofqual's actions "unacceptable" as he called for the "huge mess" to be sorted out.
Labour claimed the A-level results row was a "fiasco turning from tragedy to farce" as they called on the prime minister to "get a grip".
The party's leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: "Weeks of chaos, confusion and incompetence. We need a return to teacher assessments for A-level results and urgent action to avoid the same injustice for GCSE students.
"Boris Johnson has been invisible during this crisis. He needs to take personal responsibility, and fix it."
Campaigners have promised to begin High Court proceedings against Mr Williamson and Ofqual this week unless they perform a climbdown on the use of the algorithim.
Jolyon Maugham QC, who heads the Good Law Project, told Sky News: "This morning we sent a letter to Ofqual, copying in Gavin Williamson."
He said the letter points out the lack of a "meaningful appeal system for inidividual students is unlawful", the system "is so unfair as also to be unlawful" and that Ofqual has a "statutory obligation to ensure that accurate grades are delivered".
Image: Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has been sent notice of legal action
Ofqual has defended its moderation of A-level grades, saying that some schools and colleges had submitted "implausibly high" A-level predictions.
Mr Maugham accused Ofqual of "embedding structural inequality" following widespread criticism that the regulator's algorithm disproportionately penalised students from schools in disadvantaged communities.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:16 PM defends A-level results as 'robust'
The Sunday Times reported other students and parents are considering legal action, including Curtis Parfitt-Ford - a student whose petition calling for a fairer system has now been signed by more than 225,000 people.
There are concerns next Thursday's GCSE results will see a repeat of the A-level problems, with The Observer reporting more than 4.6 million GCSEs in England - about 97% of the total - will be assigned solely by Ofqual's algorithm.
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The government has confirmed schools in England will be able to appeal against A-level and GCSE grades for free.
State-funded schools and colleges will also be able to claim back the cost of unsuccessful appeals as well as fees for autumn exams, the Department for Education said.
Students in Wales can appeal against their A-level grades if they are lower than teachers' predictions - a plan only announced after 42% of A-level grades were lowered.
And the Northern Ireland Assembly is set to be recalled from summer recess to discuss the ongoing controversy, after what Sinn Fein described as an "absence of any necessary action" from the education secretary.


skynewspolitics--2020-08-16--PM told to take charge of A-levels 'mess' amid threat of legal action as protests continue

Boris Johnson has been urged to take charge of the A-level results row as the government and the exams regulator were threatened with legal action .
Hundreds of students continued to demonstrate in Westminster on Sunday , with some chanting `` get Gav gone '' and `` come out Gavin '' as they protested outside Education Secretary Gavin Williamson 's departmental building .
Footage has also been shared online of one student burning her A-level results in Parliament Square .
Around 280,000 students in England saw their A-level grades fall by one grade or more from their predicted results following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' algorithm , which was put in place after the coronavirus lockdown led to exams being cancelled .
Further confusion was added to the row on Saturday night when Ofqual , the exams regulator , withdrew its criteria for mock exam results to be considered as the basis of an appeal , saying it was reviewing the policy .
The Department for Education ( DfE ) has since attempted to reassure students over how the appeals process will work as many of them lost university places due to their grades being lowered .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a DfE spokesman said : `` Hundreds of thousands of students have received a calculated grade that will enable them to progress to the next stage of their education or into work .
`` We have been clear that we want to build as much fairness into the appeals process as possible to help young people in the most difficult cases and have been working with Ofqual to achieve that .
`` Ofqual continues to consider how to best deliver the appeals process to give schools and pupils the clarity they need .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ abandoning his promise of a `` triple lock '' for students following the announcement of Ofqual 's criteria for using mock exams in appeals .
He said pupils could use their mock results , resit exams in the autumn , or accept the grade they had been awarded .
The Ofqual guidance said if the mock result was higher than the teacher 's prediction , it was the teacher 's prediction that would count .
Conservative MP Robert Halfon , chair of the House of Commons ' Education Committee , branded Ofqual 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the `` huge mess '' to be sorted out .
Labour claimed the A-level results row was a `` fiasco turning from tragedy to farce '' as they called on the prime minister to `` get a grip '' .
The party 's leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted : `` Weeks of chaos , confusion and incompetence .
We need a return to teacher assessments for A-level results and urgent action to avoid the same injustice for GCSE students .
`` Boris Johnson has been invisible during this crisis .
He needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it . ''
Campaigners have promised to begin High Court proceedings against Mr Williamson and Ofqual this week unless they perform a climbdown on the use of the algorithim .
Jolyon Maugham QC , who heads the Good Law Project , told Sky News : `` This morning we sent a letter to Ofqual , copying in Gavin Williamson . ''
He said the letter points out the lack of a `` meaningful appeal system for inidividual students is unlawful '' , the system `` is so unfair as also to be unlawful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statutory obligation to ensure that accurate grades are delivered '' .
Ofqual has defended its moderation of A-level grades , saying that some schools and colleges had submitted `` implausibly high '' A-level predictions .
Mr Maugham accused Ofqual of `` embedding structural inequality '' following widespread criticism that the regulator 's algorithm disproportionately penalised students from schools in disadvantaged communities .
The Sunday Times reported other students and parents are considering legal action , including Curtis Parfitt-Ford - a student whose petition calling for a fairer system has now been signed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns next Thursday 's GCSE results will see a repeat of the A-level problems , with The Observer reporting more than 4.6 million GCSEs in England - about 97 % of the total - will be assigned solely by Ofqual 's algorithm .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The government has confirmed schools in England will be able to appeal against A-level and GCSE grades for free .
State-funded schools and colleges will also be able to claim back the cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for autumn exams , the Department for Education said .
Students in Wales can appeal against their A-level grades if they are lower than teachers ' predictions - a plan only announced after 42 % of A-level grades were lowered .
And the Northern Ireland Assembly is set to be recalled from summer recess to discuss the ongoing controversy , after what Sinn Fein described as an `` absence of any necessary action '' from the education secretary .


skynewspolitics--2020-08-16--Priti Patel says migrants coming to UK claim France is 'racist' country - reports

Home Secretary Priti Patel has told MPs that migrants coming to Britain claim France is a `` racist '' country where they could be `` tortured '' , according to reports .
At a time when the UK and France are tussling over how to stem the flow of migrants across the English Channel , Ms Patel is reported to have made the comments in a conference call with more than 40 Conservative MPs .
One MP on the call told The Sun on Sunday : `` Priti was asked why the migrants are so desperate to leave France and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some believe racism to be an issue .
They claim they feel discriminated against when , for example , looking for work in France .
`` Others claimed they feared being tortured if they stayed in France or Germany .
`` Priti stressed that she did n't believe any of this to be true .
She was merely trying to explain the pull factors . ''
The Sunday Times also reported an MP on the call as saying : `` She said migrants are coming here because France is racist . ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is right , '' another told the newspaper .
`` They are more racist than us . ''
It was claimed that Ms Patel 's reported remarks had caused a diplomatic stir among some French politicians .
A government source denied Ms Patel told MPs that France was a racist country , but said she instead told the group that this was one of the reasons why migrants say they are leaving .
The source added Ms Patel had also highlighted some of the `` egregious and vexatious '' claims made by migrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - including the claims they could be tortured elsewhere in Europe .
`` The home secretary was demonstrating some of the challenges we face when trying to remove people , '' the source said .
`` She was clear this claim was nonsense . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Thousands of people are estimated to have reached UK shores in small boats this year , with a surge in crossings in recent weeks .
A number of migrants , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Dover on Sunday morning , and 65 arrived on Saturday .
The UK and France have been working on a joint plan to stem the number of crossings , although it has been reported France is demanding £30m in funding to agree to a deal .
A Home Office spokesperson said : `` The home secretary is clearly frustrated by the increasing number of small boats crossing the Channel - this is compounded by the fact that we are currently restricted in our response by EU regulations .
`` That is why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with other government departments and No 10 , to ensuring we have legislation ready following the end of the transition period .
`` This legislation will build on our continuing work with the French government to stop these crossings and the small boat commander , Dan O'Mahoney , will be visiting France again this week for further discussions . ''

Home Secretary Priti Patel has told MPs that migrants coming to Britain claim France is a "racist" country where they could be "tortured", according to reports.
At a time when the UK and France are tussling over how to stem the flow of migrants across the English Channel, Ms Patel is reported to have made the comments in a conference call with more than 40 Conservative MPs.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:27 Migrants from Sudan head towards Dover
One MP on the call told The Sun on Sunday: "Priti was asked why the migrants are so desperate to leave France and come here.
"She told us some believe racism to be an issue. They claim they feel discriminated against when, for example, looking for work in France.
"Others claimed they feared being tortured if they stayed in France or Germany.
"Priti stressed that she didn't believe any of this to be true. She was merely trying to explain the pull factors."
The Sunday Times also reported an MP on the call as saying: "She said migrants are coming here because France is racist."
"She was calling them racist and she is right," another told the newspaper.
"They are more racist than us."
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Image: The home secretary - pictured on a recent trip to Dover - has been trying to agree a joint plan with France
It was claimed that Ms Patel's reported remarks had caused a diplomatic stir among some French politicians.
A government source denied Ms Patel told MPs that France was a racist country, but said she instead told the group that this was one of the reasons why migrants say they are leaving.
The source added Ms Patel had also highlighted some of the "egregious and vexatious" claims made by migrants when the UK tried to deport them - including the claims they could be tortured elsewhere in Europe.
"The home secretary was demonstrating some of the challenges we face when trying to remove people," the source said.
"She was clear this claim was nonsense."
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
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Thousands of people are estimated to have reached UK shores in small boats this year, with a surge in crossings in recent weeks.
A number of migrants, including a young child, were brought ashore in Dover on Sunday morning, and 65 arrived on Saturday.
The UK and France have been working on a joint plan to stem the number of crossings, although it has been reported France is demanding £30m in funding to agree to a deal.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "The home secretary is clearly frustrated by the increasing number of small boats crossing the Channel - this is compounded by the fact that we are currently restricted in our response by EU regulations.
"That is why the home secretary is committed, along with other government departments and No 10, to ensuring we have legislation ready following the end of the transition period.
"This legislation will build on our continuing work with the French government to stop these crossings and the small boat commander, Dan O'Mahoney, will be visiting France again this week for further discussions."


skynewspolitics--2020-08-15--Public Health England 'set to be axed' over COVID-19 response - as UK cases rise by more than 1,000

Public Health England 'set to be axed' over COVID-19 response - as UK cases rise by more than 1,000 for sixth day running

Public Health England ( PHE ) is set to be scrapped and replaced with a unit that will specifically deal with pandemics , it has been reported .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock is set to announce the move later this week , and will merge the NHS Test and Trace scheme with the work done by PHE on the coronavirus response , according to the Sunday Telegraph .
The overhaul comes after repeated reports that ministers have been frustrated and unhappy with the way PHE , which was created by former health secretary Jeremy Hunt in 2013 , has dealt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adopted a new way of counting daily deaths from COVID-19 , after concerns were raised that the method used by PHE officials overstated them .
Five deaths of people with COVID-19 were recorded on Saturday , according to government data while 1,040 tested positive in the 24 hours up to 9am on Sunday - a rise from Saturday 's 1,012 .
It marks the sixth day in a row that more than 1,000 new confirmed cases have been recorded in the UK .
Responding to the Sunday Telegraph report , a Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Public Health England have played an integral role in our national response to this unprecedented global pandemic .
`` We have always been clear that we must learn the right lessons from this crisis to ensure that we are in the strongest possible position , both as we continue to deal with COVID-19 and to respond to any future public health threat . ''
The new body will be called the Institute for Health Protection and will become `` effective '' next month , but will not be fully complete until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is said to be based on a similar model in Germany , which has used the independent Robert Koch Institute to take control of the country 's response to the pandemic .
Professor Dr Dirk Brockmann , project group leader at the Robert Koch Institute , said `` independence is key '' as he explained how the institute works with the German government .
`` It is part of the federal government but is run independently , '' he told Sky News .
`` The science we produce , we can say something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` You can have both , I think . ''
Chris Hopson , head of NHS Providers , representing medics , said PHE 's remit was too wide and meant it struggled to cope with COVID-19 .
He said the fact it has always been an executive agency of the Department of Health gave ministers direct control of its activities , meaning the government is responsible for it , not just PHE 's leadership team .
Ministers , not PHE officials , were also driving key responsibilities such as testing in the early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to a better balance between national and local level activity , he added .
Leading doctors have not welcomed the news , with many saying the move is a disruption during the ongoing global pandemic .
Dr Amitava Banerjee , associate professor at the Institute of Health Informatics , University College London , said : `` If PHE has fallen short , responsibility lies firmly with the current government and health ministers .
`` Rather than a rash restructuring , a sensible approach must involve a rapid enquiry to establish lessons learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Professor Dame Til Wykes , of the Institute of Psychiatry , Psychology and Neuroscience , King 's College London , said merging PHE with a `` failing Track and Trace service provides little confidence for the future '' .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Dr Chaand Nagpaul , British Medical Association council chairman , said budget cuts and fragmentation of PHE over the years `` have hampered the response '' to the pandemic .
`` We must absolutely not allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blame for wider failings and government decisions , '' he said .
`` Public Health England should be part of a fully-integrated Public Health and NHS both locally and nationally .
We also believe that Public Health doctors must be able to voice their views and policies independently in the interests of the public 's health and without ministerial constraints . ''
Doctor and broadcaster Dr Phil Hammond tweeted : `` @ PHE_uk is under direct control of @ MattHancock .
If it has failed , he has failed .
The National Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protection Agency we used to have before it was merged into @ PHE_uk in 2012 with 40 % budget cuts .
Hancock will still be in charge . ''
Baroness Dido Harding , the Conservative peer and former TalkTalk telecoms boss who is currently heading up Test and Trace , is being tipped to run the new department .
`` We want to bring together the science and the scale in one new body so we can do all we can to stop a second coronavirus spike this autumn , '' a senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Head , a senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton , said appointing Baroness Harding `` makes about as much sense as ( chief medical officer ) Chris Whitty being appointed the Vodafone head of branding and corporate image '' .
Test and Trace call centres are set to be wound down over the next few months , and replaced with local teams run by councils , like the system put in place in Sandwell , in the West Midlands .
More lockdown measures across England were lifted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spa treatments able to operate again from Saturday .
PHE is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care but has operational autonomy and its own chief executive , Duncan Selbie .
Its creation in 2013 brought together public health specialists from more than 70 organisations into a single service .
PHE now employs the equivalent of 5,500 full-time staff , made up mostly of scientists , researchers and public health professionals .
It has eight local centres across England 's regions , as well as one in London .


skynewspolitics--2020-08-17--A-levels row: Government announcement expected later today

Boris Johnson has `` confidence '' in his education secretary and the English exams regulator despite chaos over A-level and GCSE results .
Downing Street said the prime minister spoke to Gavin Williamson and other officials on the phone from his holiday in Scotland on Monday morning about the issue .
Number 10 added the government was trying to `` come up with the fairest system possible '' , after complaints from pupils and Tory MPs about the algorithm used to mark those whose exams were cancelled due to coronavirus .
Mr Johnson 's spokesman refused to say if he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Northern Ireland in ditching the system and grade students according to their teachers ' predictions .
`` It is a devolved issue , our focus remains on working hard to introduce the fairest system possible for pupils , '' he told reporters on Monday afternoon .
Asked if the prime minister had confidence in Mr Williamson , his spokesman said `` yes '' and added : `` Ofqual continues to have the support of the PM . ''
Sky News understands an announcement will be made by the UK government later today .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ clarity due to fury from some in the Conservative Party about the handling of exam results .
It seems private schools were the biggest benefit of the algorithm which led to claims it had `` baked in '' inequality .
Former minister Stephen Hammond told Sky News the situation was a `` shambles '' , while disquiet has even spread to the frontbench - Penny Mordaunt tweeting that she had made her views known to the Department for Education .
Tory former education secretary Lord Baker , who drew up the GCSE exam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the algorithm was `` flawed '' and called for results day this Thursday to be postponed .
`` The A-level results have produced hundreds of thousands of unfair and barely explicable downgrades , '' he said .
`` They have helped smaller private schools but hit the brighter students in a poorly performing state school .
It is not surprising that various parties are considering legal actions . ''
Mr Johnson last week defended the algorithm , saying it was `` robust '' and `` dependable '' .
Asked to repeat those words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to .
Labour is also urging ministers to `` bring the exams fiasco to an end '' .
`` The government must now allow young people to use the grades their teachers predicted at both A-level and GCSE , '' shadow education secretary Kate Green said .
The government could also face a legal challenge over the situation .
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said he had instructing lawyers and expected to `` initiate action '' later on Monday .
Are you a concerned parent with A Level and GCSE children ?
Get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WhatsApp - 07583 000853 : : Email - news @ sky.com : : 'Your Report ' on Sky News apps

The UK government is due to make an announcement on A-level and GCSE results today, as Downing Street said Boris Johnson has "confidence" in his education secretary and the English exams regulator.
Number 10 said the prime minister spoke to Gavin Williamson and other officials on the phone from his holiday in Scotland on Monday morning about the issue.
It added the government was trying to "come up with the fairest system possible", after complaints from pupils and Tory MPs about the algorithm used to mark those whose exams were cancelled due to coronavirus.
Image: Pupils have protested in Whitehall against the results system
Mr Johnson's spokesman refused to say if he would follow the approach of Scotland and Wales in ditching the system and grading students according to their teachers' predictions.
Northern Ireland has also scrapped the system for GCSE students but not those completing their A-levels, although Sky News understands a decision on expanding that to include all pupils is imminent.
"It is a devolved issue, our focus remains on working hard to introduce the fairest system possible for pupils," Mr Johnson's spokesman told reporters on Monday afternoon.
Asked if the prime minister had confidence in Mr Williamson, his spokesman said "yes" and added: "Ofqual continues to have the support of the PM."
Sky News understands an announcement will be made by the UK government later today.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:16 From Thursday: PM defends A-level results as 'robust'
Downing Street is facing pressure to provide clarity due to fury from some in the Conservative Party about the handling of exam results.
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It seems private schools were the biggest benefit of the algorithm which led to claims it had "baked in" inequality.
Former minister Stephen Hammond told Sky News the situation was a "shambles", while disquiet has even spread to the frontbench - Penny Mordaunt tweeting that she had made her views known to the Department for Education.
Image: Exams were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic
Tory former education secretary Lord Baker, who drew up the GCSE exam system in the late 1980s, said the algorithm was "flawed" and called for results day this Thursday to be postponed.
"The A-level results have produced hundreds of thousands of unfair and barely explicable downgrades," he said.
"They have helped smaller private schools but hit the brighter students in a poorly performing state school. It is not surprising that various parties are considering legal actions."
A group of students from Mr Williamson's South Staffordshire constituency also marched from their high school to his office.
Among their placards were messages saying "sack Gavin", "your algorithm doesn't know me" and "stop playing postcode politics".
Mr Johnson last week defended the algorithm, saying it was "robust" and "dependable".
Asked to repeat those words again on Monday, his spokesman declined to.
Labour is also urging ministers to "bring the exams fiasco to an end".
"The government must now allow young people to use the grades their teachers predicted at both A-level and GCSE," shadow education secretary Kate Green said.
The government could also face a legal challenge over the situation.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said he had instructing lawyers and expected to "initiate action" later on Monday.
Are you a concerned parent with A-level and GCSE children? Get in touch with Sky News
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skynewspolitics--2020-08-17--GCSE results algorithm scrapped in Northern Ireland

GCSE students in Northern Ireland will have their results decided based on teachers ' predictions , after the controversial moderating system was scrapped .
Just days before the grades were due to be published , the devolved government announced it wanted to `` ease anxieties '' among pupils and their families .
The move piles pressure on the government in England to follow suit , with several senior Tory MPs already saying results day this Thursday should be pushed back while a better system is worked up .
Former Conservative education secretary Lord Baker , who launched GCSEs in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call - telling ministers : `` If you are in a hole , stop digging . ''
Politicians are scrambling to avoid another week 's fallout , following complaints last week that the algorithm meant to standardise grades benefited private schools and `` baked in inequality '' .
Sky News understands an announcement will be made by the UK government later today .
Northern Ireland 's Stormont Assembly will be recalled from summer recess to debate the furore on Tuesday .
Peter Weir , the education minister , promised the decision would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affect A-Level students .
`` These are exceptional circumstances and in exceptional times truly difficult decisions are made , '' he said .
`` I am conscious that for GCSEs , unlike at A-level , we do not have system level prior performance data for this group of young people .
`` I want to encourage as many young people as possible to remain in education or training post-16 and to know they have another opportunity to engage with education .
`` I am also mindful that unlike A-level , many GCSE pupils @ @ @ @ @ @ @ examination outcomes to inform any appeals process .
`` I have , therefore , acted now in advance of the publication of GCSE results to ease anxieties , reassure young people and their families and ensure that every individual candidate receives a grade that recognises the work they have done . ''
Labour is calling for A-Level students in England to also have their moderated results reverted back to their teachers ' original predictions .
But shadow education secretary Kate Green said there was still time for the algorithm to be `` tweaked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students .
She told Sky News there had been a `` completely chaotic response to this crisis '' , urging Boris Johnson to `` get off his holiday '' because students `` absolutely do n't deserve the shameful treatment they 're receiving '' .
The prime minister has previously backed the `` robust '' and `` dependable '' system .
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson , who is in charge of the issue only in England given it is a devolved matter , is facing calls to quit over the debacle .
The government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the situation .
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said he had instructing lawyers and expected to `` initiate action '' later on Monday .
An already confused crisis deepened over the weekend when Ofqual - the exams regulator - published its policy explaining on exactly what grounds A-Level students could appeal their grades , but then withdrew it hours later .
Dr Mary Bousted , joint head of the National Education Union , said she thought it was because Ofqual favoured teachers ' grades above mock exam results - a position at odds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government withdrew moderated grades and used teachers ' predictions instead after pupils in the most deprived areas had pass rates downgraded by more than twice that of those from the wealthiest parts of the country .
And in Wales , where many students still take AS-Levels at the end of their first year of further education , ministers have promised no student 's final A-Level grade will be lower than the ones they achieved last year .
Are you a concerned parent with A Level and GCSE children ?
Get in touch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 07583 000853 ( using the hyperlink above ) : : Email - news @ sky.com : : 'Your Report ' on Sky News apps

GCSE students in Northern Ireland will have their results decided based on teachers' predictions, after the controversial moderating system was scrapped.
Just days before the grades were due to be published, the devolved government announced it wanted to "ease anxieties" among pupils and their families.
The move piles pressure on the government in England to follow suit, with several senior Tory MPs already saying results day this Thursday should be pushed back while a better system is worked up.
Image: Some pupils say the A-Level algorithm benefited private schools
Former Conservative education secretary Lord Baker, who launched GCSEs in the late 1980s, has made a similar call - telling ministers: "If you are in a hole, stop digging."
Politicians are scrambling to avoid another week's fallout, following complaints last week that the algorithm meant to standardise grades benefited private schools and "baked in inequality".
Sky News understands an announcement will be made by the UK government later today.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:12 Tory MP sets exams regulator a deadline amid row
Northern Ireland's Stormont Assembly will be recalled from summer recess to debate the furore on Tuesday.
Peter Weir, the education minister, promised the decision would not delay GCSE results and will also not affect A-Level students.
"These are exceptional circumstances and in exceptional times truly difficult decisions are made," he said.
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"I am conscious that for GCSEs, unlike at A-level, we do not have system level prior performance data for this group of young people.
Image: Stormont is being recalled to discuss the exam results issue
"I want to encourage as many young people as possible to remain in education or training post-16 and to know they have another opportunity to engage with education.
"I am also mindful that unlike A-level, many GCSE pupils will not have access to previous public examination outcomes to inform any appeals process.
"I have, therefore, acted now in advance of the publication of GCSE results to ease anxieties, reassure young people and their families and ensure that every individual candidate receives a grade that recognises the work they have done."
Labour is calling for A-Level students in England to also have their moderated results reverted back to their teachers' original predictions.
But shadow education secretary Kate Green said there was still time for the algorithm to be "tweaked" to be made fairer for GCSE students.
She told Sky News there had been a "completely chaotic response to this crisis", urging Boris Johnson to "get off his holiday" because students "absolutely don't deserve the shameful treatment they're receiving".
The prime minister has previously backed the "robust" and "dependable" system.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:16 PM defends A-level results as 'robust'
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, who is in charge of the issue only in England given it is a devolved matter, is facing calls to quit over the debacle.
The government could also face a legal challenge over the situation.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said he had instructing lawyers and expected to "initiate action" later on Monday.
An already confused crisis deepened over the weekend when Ofqual - the exams regulator - published its policy explaining on exactly what grounds A-Level students could appeal their grades, but then withdrew it hours later.
Dr Mary Bousted, joint head of the National Education Union, said she thought it was because Ofqual favoured teachers' grades above mock exam results - a position at odds with Mr Williamson.
In Scotland, the government withdrew moderated grades and used teachers' predictions instead after pupils in the most deprived areas had pass rates downgraded by more than twice that of those from the wealthiest parts of the country.
And in Wales, where many students still take AS-Levels at the end of their first year of further education, ministers have promised no student's final A-Level grade will be lower than the ones they achieved last year.
Are you a concerned parent with A Level and GCSE children? Get in touch with Sky News
:: WhatsApp - 07583 000853 (using the hyperlink above)
:: Email - news@sky.com
:: 'Your Report' on Sky News apps


skynewspolitics--2020-08-16--PM urged to consider delaying GCSE results amid mounting A-level anger

Senior Conservative MPs are calling on Boris Johnson to consider delaying the publication of this week 's GCSE results until the problems with A-levels have been resolved .
The prime minister is under pressure to intervene to end the deepening A-levels crisis in England , amid growing anger among pupils , teachers and MPs , including from his own party .
The same controversial algorithm that was used to determine last Thursday 's A-level results is being used to dish out GCSE grades this week , sparking fears that millions of pupils could see their marks downgraded , after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now been suggested by a senior Conservative MP that the government may need to delay publishing GCSE results until it can be sure the grading system is fair .
Robert Halfon , chair of the House of Commons Education Committee , told Sky News that the government needed to consider the possibility `` pretty quickly '' .
He said exams regulator Ofqual `` needs to convince schools '' over the next few days that its algorithm `` is fair '' and that the government must consider whether the exams system is `` fair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GCSEs `` will be undermined '' .
`` We need ... a fairer , wider appeals system , that anyone who feels that their grade is unfair is able to appeal ... with a very fast turnaround , '' he added .
Mr Halfon also said that `` the last six months have been a national disaster for millions of children '' , and that attainment gaps will grow as a result of the pandemic .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lord Baker , who introduced the GCSE system in the late 1980s , said that GCSE results should be delayed for two weeks , due to the algorithm .
`` The A-level results have produced hundreds of thousands of unfair and barely explicable downgrades , '' he said in a statement .
`` They have helped smaller private schools but hit the brighter students in a poorly performing state school .
It is not surprising that various parties are considering legal actions .
`` If you are in a hole , stop digging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Williamson and Ofqual are reportedly at odds with each other over the best way to proceed .
The Telegraph says that senior figures in Ofqual want the government to U-turn on the results , and allow students to be awarded their predicted grades .
Mr Williamson has repeatedly pushed back on using predicted grades , over fears that it could lead to grade-inflation and devalue the results .
Around 280,000 students in England saw their A-level grades fall by one grade or more from their predicted results following the introduction of a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put in place after the coronavirus lockdown led to exams being cancelled .
Further confusion was added to the row on Saturday night when Ofqual withdrew its criteria for mock exam results to be considered as the basis of an appeal , saying it was reviewing the policy .
The Department for Education ( DfE ) has since attempted to reassure students over how the appeals process will work as many of them lost university places due to their grades being lowered .
In a statement late on Sunday , a DfE spokesman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students have received a calculated grade that will enable them to progress to the next stage of their education or into work . ''
Labour claimed the A-level results row was a `` fiasco turning from tragedy to farce '' as they called on the prime minister to `` get a grip '' .
The party 's leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted on Sunday : `` Weeks of chaos , confusion and incompetence .
We need a return to teacher assessments for A-level results and urgent action to avoid the same injustice for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been invisible during this crisis .
He needs to take personal responsibility , and fix it . ''
Meanwhile , campaigners have promised to begin High Court proceedings against Mr Williamson and Ofqual this week unless they perform a climbdown on the use of the algorithm .
Jolyon Maugham QC , who heads the Good Law Project , told Sky News on Sunday : `` This morning we sent a letter to Ofqual , copying in Gavin Williamson . ''
He said the letter points out the lack of a `` meaningful appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the system `` is so unfair as also to be unlawful '' and that Ofqual has a `` statutory obligation to ensure that accurate grades are delivered '' .

Senior Conservative MPs are calling on Boris Johnson to consider delaying the publication of this week's GCSE results until the problems with A-levels have been resolved.
The prime minister is under pressure to intervene to end the deepening A-levels crisis in England, amid growing anger among pupils, teachers and MPs, including from his own party.
The same controversial algorithm that was used to determine last Thursday's A-level results is being used to dish out GCSE grades this week, sparking fears that millions of pupils could see their marks downgraded, after the coronavirus outbreak cancelled exams.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:16 How the A-level algorithm works
It has now been suggested by a senior Conservative MP that the government may need to delay publishing GCSE results until it can be sure the grading system is fair.
Robert Halfon, chair of the House of Commons Education Committee, told Sky News that the government needed to consider the possibility "pretty quickly".
He said exams regulator Ofqual "needs to convince schools" over the next few days that its algorithm "is fair" and that the government must consider whether the exams system is "fair and robust", otherwise confidence in GCSEs "will be undermined".
"We need... a fairer, wider appeals system, that anyone who feels that their grade is unfair is able to appeal... with a very fast turnaround," he added.
Mr Halfon also said that "the last six months have been a national disaster for millions of children", and that attainment gaps will grow as a result of the pandemic.
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It came after former Conservative education secretary Lord Baker, who introduced the GCSE system in the late 1980s, said that GCSE results should be delayed for two weeks, due to the algorithm.
"The A-level results have produced hundreds of thousands of unfair and barely explicable downgrades," he said in a statement.
"They have helped smaller private schools but hit the brighter students in a poorly performing state school. It is not surprising that various parties are considering legal actions.
"If you are in a hole, stop digging."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:04 'Meaningless grades mean stolen futures'
However, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and Ofqual are reportedly at odds with each other over the best way to proceed.
The Telegraph says that senior figures in Ofqual want the government to U-turn on the results, and allow students to be awarded their predicted grades.
Mr Williamson has repeatedly pushed back on using predicted grades, over fears that it could lead to grade-inflation and devalue the results.
Around 280,000 students in England saw their A-level grades fall by one grade or more from their predicted results following the introduction of a new "moderation" algorithm, which was put in place after the coronavirus lockdown led to exams being cancelled.
Further confusion was added to the row on Saturday night when Ofqual withdrew its criteria for mock exam results to be considered as the basis of an appeal, saying it was reviewing the policy.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:16 PM defends A-level results as 'robust'
The Department for Education (DfE) has since attempted to reassure students over how the appeals process will work as many of them lost university places due to their grades being lowered.
In a statement late on Sunday, a DfE spokesman said: "Hundreds of thousands of students have received a calculated grade that will enable them to progress to the next stage of their education or into work."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:45 Starmer: 'This has been a disaster'
Labour claimed the A-level results row was a "fiasco turning from tragedy to farce" as they called on the prime minister to "get a grip".
The party's leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted on Sunday: "Weeks of chaos, confusion and incompetence. We need a return to teacher assessments for A-level results and urgent action to avoid the same injustice for GCSE students.
"Boris Johnson has been invisible during this crisis. He needs to take personal responsibility, and fix it."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:39 'It's like being handed four random letters'
Meanwhile, campaigners have promised to begin High Court proceedings against Mr Williamson and Ofqual this week unless they perform a climbdown on the use of the algorithm.
Jolyon Maugham QC, who heads the Good Law Project, told Sky News on Sunday: "This morning we sent a letter to Ofqual, copying in Gavin Williamson."
He said the letter points out the lack of a "meaningful appeal system for individual students is unlawful", the system "is so unfair as also to be unlawful" and that Ofqual has a "statutory obligation to ensure that accurate grades are delivered".