ISC Daily News Summary

Daily Telegraph, Guardian, BBC News Online

A government-backed survey by the 1994 Group, which represents 19 top universities, reveals that almost four out of 10 universities are unlikely to accept students applying with the new Diploma qualifications, although overall the 1994 Group is 'cautiously' welcoming the governments 14-19 education reforms. The findings also suggest that the introduction of the A-level A* grade could result in pupils from independent schools 'tightening their grip' on leading universities, as reported in the Daily Telegraph. For a copy of the survey results e-mail Hayley.Dunlop@isc.co.uk. The Guardian reports that a number of universities last year failed to allocate money put aside to provide bursaries for state school pupils. The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) will tomorrow publish a report outlining the problems.

Private school star pupils 'will tighten grip on top universities' (Daily Telegraph)
Research universities cautiously welcome diplomas (Guardian)
Universities' £3m underspend on poorer students (Guardian)
Diploma warning from universities (BBC News Online)

Independent

'With research showing that unruly youngsters achieve remarkable improvements after time spent at independent boarding schools, surely the Government could benefit both society and the schools by sending these 'feral anthropoids' as Bruce Anderson calls them (21 January), to such schools.'

A better use for private schools (Independent letters)

Daily Telegraph, Times, Guardian, Independent, Daily Mail, Daily Express

Widespread coverage of yesterday's announcement by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) that cookery lessons are to be made compulsory in England's secondary schools for children aged 11 to 14.

Schoolchildren 'must take cookery classes to tackle obesity' (Daily Telegraph)
‘Let them bake cake' won't stop obesity (Daily Telegraph)
It will inspire appetite for good food (Daily Telegraph)
Pupils will benefit from compulsory cooking classes (Daily Telegraph letters)
Food, glorious food - and now learning how to cook is compulsory (Times)
Scrambled thinking (Guardian)
Cooking? It's child's play (Independent)
Every pupil will be taught to made a shepherd's pie (Daily Mail)
Lessons in cookery for all our children (Daily Express)

BBC News Online, Daily Telegraph

The government has delayed publication of the results of new tests which might replace Sats, taken by thousands of children in England aged seven to 14. The Daily Telegraph speculates that this is because the results are disappointing.

New progress test results delayed (BBC News Online)
New school test results pulled after 'unexpected' outcome (Daily Telegraph not online)

Times, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail

American psychologist, Dr Leonard Sax, says boys and girls should be educated in separate classes because their brains are 'hard-wired' to learn in different ways. Dr Sax is the founder of the National Association for Single Sex Public Education in the United States (NASSPE).

Boys, brains and toxic lessons (Times)
Problem caused by pushing them too much, too young (Times)
Why boys are lagging behind girls (Daily Telegraph)
Boys need to be taught separately from the age of five, says expert (Daily Mail)

BBC News Online

Research conducted on behalf of the Higher Education Academy and the Equality Challenge Unit advises universities that they need to act urgently to ensure ethnic minority students are not discriminated against.

Ethnic attainment 'needs action' (BBC News Online)

Times

Conservative leader David Cameron is interviewed in today's Times. In the interview, Mr Cameron defends 'middle-class parents with sharp elbows' who pretend to have Christian beliefs in order to obtain places at faith schools, describing them as 'active citizens'.

Tory fudge on faith (Times)
The perils of dealing with 'that strange man in Downing Street' (Times)

Herald

Schoolchildren in Scotland are to be taught money management skills in a bid to tackle the growing buy-now pay-later credit culture.

Pupils to receive lessons on managing money (Herald not online)

Please note that, from today, the ISC 24-7 press office mobile number for all urgent and out-of-office media advice queries has changed to 07825 806017. For general press queries or for Daily News Summary enquiries call 020 7766 7062, e-mail Hayley.Dunlop@isc.co.uk or Alex.Caish@isc.co.uk.

Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror

A Japanese professor of aerospace engineering has collaborated with origami masters to design a heat-resistant paper aeroplane. They plan to launch the novel spacecraft from the International Space Station to track its descent through the Earth's atmosphere.

Paper plane to be launched from space (Daily Telegraph)
Paper aeroplane to be dropped 240 miles from International Space Station to Earth (Daily Mail)
Paper plane in space flight back to Earth (Daily Mirror)