[Malcolm Armsteen]

Someone on the 7th floor must have known that regulatory approval would be required, and that a makeshift ragbag of volunteers wasn't likely to get it.

[Cyclist]

DfE says mass testing in schools will still go ahead despite fresh concerns

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-says-mass ... cerns/amp/

I suppose we can expect a contradictory announcement from Johnson shortly.

Everything else Williamson has come out with has been contradicted by Johnson, do why not this too?

[Cyclist]

In which Williamson repeats what Ofsted have described as an "unhelpful myth" in parliament.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/williamson-re ... -findings/

[Malcolm Armsteen]

See also
https://www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-on ... cts-ofsted

[Malcolm Armsteen]

So. Gav has called off the in-school testing programme. Hiw fucking amazing.

It's not his fault, of course, there is 'new information' - that he would have been told before he started this ill-fated brainfart if he had bothered to ask. Spoiler - there's no 'new' information. Just stupidity, hubris and arrogance.

Oh, and it's 'paused' - though what that means isn't explained. Waiting for a new, reliable test? Hoping for a change of wind direction? Or just praying that something turns up?

What an utter failure as a human being.

[mattomac]

Does surprise me how this new information always reaches Starmer several days early....

Or maybe he just bothers to read it.

[satnav]

I think testing in schools has been paused because Williamson knows that if they did start doing mass testing the schools would be totally shut again within days. You would only need a couple of positive tests in each bubble and the entire bubble would be sent home.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Do you really think he plans that far ahead?

[Tubby Isaacs]

This is under Willamson- universities and free speech.

What the heck has happened to Michael Barber?

[Bones McCoy]

2 weeks notice before English schools open.
About the first sensible policy to escape his department.

Credit where its due.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

It's not due to Williamson. He's lost, this is evidence.

[mattomac]

This is under Willamson- universities and free speech.

What the heck has happened to Michael Barber?

Jim has delivered an excellent thread there.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

WTAF?

The laptops sent to schools have Russian viruses pre-installed?

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2 ... en-england

[Tubby Isaacs]

Jim has delivered an excellent thread there.

He has. This stuff needs nipping in the bud. "US university bans students from offending one another" could become an urban myth, even if the context suggests that it's using "offend" in a stronger sense than normal.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Also via Jim Dickinson- proposed teaching grants. Take that London! No really levelling up the regions, is it?