We conducted a survey of 9,500 students and we asked them to rank 5 scenarios for the return to school.

34.89% said they would like schools to close at level 5

65.11% of student said the would prefer one of the following before a blanket closure of schools.

• Schools remain open with no changes

• Schools remain open with additional covid mesures

• Student whom are high risk / have high risk family members can learn from home

• Exam years stay in and non- exam years go home

60.32 % of students who answered the survey put exam years should remain in school as one of their top 3 choices.

Over the Christmas holidays we consulted widely on the 2021 state exams and how they should function.

We took into account all the information and insight we had gained over the dozens of meetings with the department and the insights students had communicated to us individually and through our social media combined with the comments raised on our SEC submission and the survey.

A snap meeting was called by the DES stating that school would opens as normal and this proposal formed taking all of the above factors into consideration and in response to the worries and stresses of students in returning to school with higher numbers and balancing the need to ensure that exam students do not miss out.

Further information regarding student consultation will follow tomorrow