Hamid Patel, the chief executive of Star Academies which runs a string of outstanding state schools in London, Birmingham, Manchester and other cities, says the government should "do the unthinkable" and postpone this summer's exams immediately, along with Sats tests to be taken by England's primary school pupils, to save lives during the peak infection period of May to June.
That may mean requiring this year's pupils to effectively start again in the next academic year in September, sitting their exams in spring 2021, Patel said.