MP urges Government to cover the cost of exam board fees to protect cash-strapped schools

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has written to the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, urging him to scrap plans to force schools to pay tens of thousands of pounds to exam boards - despite exams not going ahead this year.

In his letter to the Secretary of State, Tim said that secondary schools were being asked to pay between £75,000 and £115,000 in exam board fees.

Tim is pushing for the Government to cover these costs to protect cash-strapped local schools and so that exam boards don't miss out on the funding they need to stay afloat.

Writing to Gavin Williamson, Tim said: "I appreciate the difficult position that exam boards find themselves in but I am keen to see schools properly supported and, if it is the case that schools are being expected to pay for exams which will not happen, the Government should cover the exam board costs in the interim, not our cash-strapped schools.

"Teachers have worked tirelessly through the pandemic adapting quickly to ever-changing circumstances.

"They are receiving little to no pay rise. They will be introducing summer catch-up programmes and are creating bespoke material for their students, all while putting themselves in harm's way of contracting and transmitting the virus without being prioritised for the vaccine.

"The least the Government could do for our teachers, if ministers prize them as dearly as they intimate, is to cover the cost of exam board fees.

"I trust you will agree and will immediately resolve to provide some financial relief for our schools."