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The Independent
a day ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Scrap exams in June because of ‘hot school halls', expert says
The tradition of holding GCSE and A Level exams in June should end because climate change means school halls are too hot for children to perform well, it was argued on Monday. Baroness Brown, chair of adaptation for the UK Committee on Climate Change, said exams should be moved to cooler months. Her comments came after a Met Office report said extreme weather had become 'the new normal' in Britain as a result of global warming. Baroness Brown told the BBC's Today Programme: 'Our children take their most important exams of their lives at the hottest time of the year, often in very hot school halls with big plate glass windows. Why do we make them do that in June? 'Maybe we should do that at a different time of the year when they would be more productive and able to think better - we know that hot conditions affect people's performance and productivity.' Met Office experts have said the UK's climate is 'notably different' from just a few decades ago as the latest state of the UK climate report shows the impact of human-caused global warming on the UK's weather, seas, people and wildlife. Mike Kendon, Met Office climate scientist and lead author of the report, said: 'It's the extremes of temperature and rainfall that is changing the most, and that's of profound concern, and that's going to continue in the future.' The report said that the last three years have been in the top five warmest on record for the UK, and comes as the country experiences its third heatwave of the year so far. Last year was the fourth warmest in records dating back to 1884, while the year had the warmest May and warmest spring on record – already beaten by 2025's record hot spring. Baroness Brown said: 'We need to learn those hot weather behaviours that you might see in the south of France which would be that you would close your windows or shutters or curtains during the day where the air outside is hotter than the air inside your house and open them at night 'I know that's not feasible for everybody if you live in a ground floor flat in London it might not be very safe to open your windows at night. 'Where we can we need to try and adopt those hot weather behaviours and making those hot weather changes to our homes as well.' One year in, Labour has been fiercely criticised over its approach to the environment, including concerns around planning reforms sidelining nature in pursuit of growth. The crossbench peer said on Monday: 'This isn't going away and this isn't just 'oh, we're having a lovely summer'. This is a real change that we need to respond to and one of the things we need to think a lot more in the UK is how we respond to heat. 'We are trying to persuade the government that we should have a heat strategy. Because heat affects everything.' After the report's publication, energy secretary Ed Miliband said Britain's way of life is 'under threat' from climate change. He said: 'Whether it is extreme heat, droughts, flooding, we can see it actually with our own eyes, that it's already happening, and we need to act. 'That's why the Government has a central mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower and tackle the climate crisis.'
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
Immigration confirms British teen entered Malaysia on June 7
KOTA BARU: The Immigration Department has confirmed that the British teenager reported missing recently had entered Malaysia last month, but there is no record of him leaving the country. Its director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said based on official records, the teenager entered the country on June 7. Recently, British news webportal Daily Mail reported that David Balisong, from Cheadle, Greater Manchester, had left early for school on June 6 when he was supposed to sit for his A Level exams. However, instead of taking the exams, he is believed to have boarded a one-way flight to Kuala Lumpur on the same day. "Up to today, I can confirm that the youth had entered the country on June 7. However, there is no record of his departure," he told reporters at the Immigration Director-General's shooting trophy competition here today. Zakaria said the department was working closely with the police in the search for the missing youth. "At this point, we leave it to the police to continue with the search. Should there be any new developments or information, we will forward them to the police," he said. Police have confirmed that a British teenager who recently arrived in Malaysia via Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) had been reported missing, with investigations now underway to locate him . Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department deputy director (intelligence and operations) Datuk Fadil Marsus in a statement on July 10 said police were investigating a report lodged at KLIA's main terminal building regarding the teen's disappearance. He said preliminary investigations indicated that the teenager is still in the country. "Efforts to gather information that could assist in tracing and resolving the case are ongoing," he added. He said the case is being handled as a missing persons case, and a picture of the teen has been released to facilitate public awareness and assistance.
Scottish Sun
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘I don't need to somehow remain relevant' – Andy Murray reveals he is set to snub ‘easy' Wimbledon TV punditry gig
Scroll down to see when the Wimbledon comms team will be revealed Muzz job 'I don't need to somehow remain relevant' – Andy Murray reveals he is set to snub 'easy' Wimbledon TV punditry gig Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ANDY MURRAY is loath to step into TV punditry work just yet – as he does not want to annoy Jack Draper with his words. Muzza, 38, hated it when he was playing and former British tennis stars, who had nowhere near his same level of ability or talent, gave him advice. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Andy Murray has revealed he is snubbing a Wimbledon TV appearance Credit: Getty 3 Murray told GQ he doesn't want to annoy the likes of Jack Draper Credit: Getty Now retired and at a loose end following the dissolution of his coaching gig with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, the Scotsman could earn decent money working for the BBC. But the two-time Wimbledon singles champion is conscious of appearing in front of millions and saying something that current British No 1 Draper, 23, disagrees with. Asked by GQ magazine if he feels the need to stay in the public eye, Murray replied: 'I'm not thinking daily that I need to tweet something or somehow remain relevant. 'That's why I'm much more interested in the idea of coaching because I feel like I'd actually really be helping someone. READ MORE IN TENNIS GETTING BI Tennis star, 17, walks out of A Level exam to find she's got Wimbledon wildcard 'Whereas with punditry, it can be harmful. If I go and work at, let's say Wimbledon, you start getting asked questions about British players like Jack Draper. 'I know when the British ex–tennis players would talk about my tennis and what I should be doing. 'Because you respect them, you listen to what they're saying – but it's not always the same as what your coach is telling you. 'What the pundits are saying could be wrong. They're not right all the time, and when you're young, it's quite conflicting. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 'So I'd be more inclined to do coaching, because I think punditry is quite an easy gig. 'You can just throw stuff out there. Andy Murray starts new career as agony aunt as he reveals details of 'terrible' first date with wife Kim "People love it if it's a bit controversial, but you don't actually have any skin in the game.' BBC's Wimbledon TV comms team will be revealed on Monday.
Express Tribune
20-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Cambridge confirms A-Level paper leak
Cambridge International Education (CIE) on Thursday confirmed that question papers of three AS and A Level June 2025 examinations were partially leaked across Pakistan and decided not to go in retest. In a statement, the CIE noted that one question from the AS & A Level Mathematics Paper 12 was leaked before the exam. It added that parts of two questions from the AS & A Level Mathematics Paper 42 were shared before the exam while parts of one question from the AS & A Level Computer Science Paper 22 were leaked before the exam. The examiner said they had concluded their investigations into the allegations of leaked question, and were ensuring that all students receive fair results. "In all three cases, Cambridge will mark the papers as usual but will discount the questions shared in advance," the CIE said in the statement. "We will give full marks to all candidates for those questions. This approach will tend to push candidates' total marks upwards and this will be accounted for when we announce results," the statement added. "With this remedy, we are confident that any advantage gained by candidates who saw the leaked questions is removed, and that the remaining marks ensure the grades we award will be accurate and reliable.
Express Tribune
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
NA panel to probe CIE paper leaks
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Education has expressed lack of confidence in the Cambridge examination system and decided to investigate the alleged leak of papers during the recent CIE exams. The committee — which met with MNA Azeem Zahid in the chair — expressed serious concerns over the declining credibility of CIE in Pakistan due to repeated incidents of paper leaks. Muhammad Ali Sarfraz, an MNA from Faisalabad, shared purported video evidence provided by students that allegedly confirms the leak of papers from the May 2025 O and A Level exam series. While the malpractice may have benefitted only a small group of students, Cambridge's response — either cancelling exams or relying on average-based grading — could unfairly penalise a large number of students. He urged Cambridge to consider re-administering the affected papers or adjusting the grade thresholds. The committee also questioned the oversight mechanism for CIE in Pakistan. A representative from the Ministry of Federal Education clarified that the ministry does not regulate Cambridge assessments, placing responsibility with the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC). However, IBCC Executive Director Dr Ghulam Ali Malah said that he had not been formally assigned any such oversight responsibility. He revealed that authorisation had previously been granted — without IBCC consultation — to allow Cambridge exams to be conducted by private schools in addition to the British Council. Dr Malah referred to a similar incident last year, when a paper was cancelled due to a leak, Cambridge failed to share the results of its internal investigation with IBCC. Instead, the committee learnt of the developments through legal notices. In the end, the committee decided to set up a subcommittee to independently investigate the leaks. The subcommittee comprises Dr Aleem, Zaib Jaffar, Muhammad Ali Sarfraz, and Dr Ghulam Ali Malah. It has been tasked with reviewing the circumstances of the exam breaches and, if required, will seek to engage with Cambridge representatives based abroad due to the limited mandate of local officials, including Cambridge's Pakistan representative, Uzma Yousaf. The investigation is scheduled to begin after June 16, following a request from Yousaf. During the meeting, she attempted to shift attention by criticising the performance of Pakistani education boards, suggesting that many students opt for Cambridge due to their shortcomings. However, committee members rebuffed her remarks, saying that not all Pakistani boards perform poorly and that her focus should remain on addressing the issues within the Cambridge system. The committee reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring fairness and transparency in academic assessments and stressed the importance of protecting students from the consequences of administrative lapses.
