ISC Daily News Summary

All broadsheets, Daily Mail, BBC News Online

Widespread coverage over the weekend of the news that Cambridge University is to drop its requirement for applicants to possess a GCSE in a foreign language in an attempt to attract more applicants from state schools. A couple of articles state that foreign language GCSEs are still popular in many independent schools. The Observer review supplement included an extensive feature on Oxbridge, questioning why state-educated children are still in the minority.

Cambridge drops demand for GCSE in foreign language (Daily Telegraph
Cambridge drops foreign language requirement (Guardian)
No need for a foreign language at Cambridge (Independent)
Cambridge rethinks GCSE rule (Financial Times)
Cambridge drops language demand (Times)
A language is no longer de rigeur for Cambridge (Daily Mail)
Cambridge drops language demand (BBC News Online)
It's the clever way to power (Observer)

Sunday Express, Sunday Times

Polish scholars at the Cheltenham Ladies' College are profiled in the Sunday Express. The Cheltenham Ladies' College and St Paul's Girls' School are also referred to in a Sunday Times comment piece, which discusses the 'cult of perfectionism in young females'.

We're poles apart from English girls (Sunday Express not online)
In praise of bad girls (Sunday Times)

The Financial Times this weekend included an article on the publication of the 2008 edition of the Good Schools Guide.  According to the guide, 'exotic' foreign languages such as Chinese, Japanese and Russian are 'failing to take root' in England's independent schools because the number of pupils taking A-levels in such subjects is not growing. Commenting on the issue, Headmaster of Brighton College, Richard Cairns, is paraphrased stating that 'the solution is to start young'. The guide also warns that an increasing number of schools are offering honorary scholarships with no financial benefits attached. Christ's Hospital school and Licensed Victuallers' School are also mentioned in the article.

Languages blow for private schools (Financial Times)
Guide warns of 'useless' grants (Financial Times)

Children's Secretary Ed Balls is tomorrow expected to announce plans for 'baby Asbos' as part of a £218m plan to deal with the naughtiest young children. The Association of Chief Police Officers says that primary school children should be put on the national DNA database if their behaviour suggests they will become criminals. A survey by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) indicates that nearly a third of teachers have been punched, kicked, bitten or pinched by children or attacked with weapons or missiles. Ed Balls was also referred to in a number of articles over the weekend, with reference made to his alma mater Nottingham High School in the Daily Mail.

Ed Balls plans 'baby Asbos' for 10-year olds (Daily Telegraph)
DNA database plans for children who 'could become criminals' (Daily Telegraph)
Can we really believe a word Balls says? (Daily Telegraph)
Put young children on DNA list, urge police (Observer)
Violence on the increase in schools, teachers warn (Guardian)
One-third of teachers threatened (Independent)
Classrooms have become war zones, battered and threatened teachers say (Times)
My week: Ed Balls (Times)
Quarter of schools defy ministers over reading (Independent not online)
Naughty children as young as FIVE could be put on DNA database as Government brings in 'baby Asbos' (Daily Mail)
The class warrior who despises educational excellence (Daily Mail)
The classroom untouchables (Daily Mail)
‘43,000 attacks on teachers' (Sun)
Thousands of school yobs being let back in after attacking teachers (Daily Mirror)
Kids told of jail drugs (Daily Star Sunday)

The Chief Executive of the General Teaching Council (GTC), Keith Bartley, has warned that children are being drilled to pass exams and is urging ministers to release pupils from the stranglehold of the national curriculum and give teachers the freedom to decide what should be taught. The National Union of Teachers (NUT) claims that pupils are still being taught in 'unacceptably' large classes despite a government pledge to reduce class sizes.

Storm over school tests (Observer)
Free children from national curriculum, says watchdog (Independent)
Classes 'among most crowded in the world' (Daily Telegraph not online)

Times, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph, Yorkshire Post

Further coverage of the controversy surrounding state school admissions and proposals to ban homework for primary pupils, including a comment piece in the Yorkshire Post by ISC's former Head of Research, Sam Freedman.

We offer GCSE fraud, blackmail and extortion (Times)
Hands up if mum made a donation (Daily Telegraph)
Voluntary-aided schools are under attack (Daily Telegraph)
Homework is useless. Discuss (Sunday Telegraph)
Let's have real parental choice and allow schools to control education (Yorkshire Post)

Various articles over the weekend on getting children involved in cultural activities such as ballet and opera.

Inner-city hunt for new stars of ballet (Sunday Times)
Schools for 'future Billy Elliots' (Daily Telegraph)
Little beggars opera (Times)
Note prefect (Independent Magazine)
Glimpses of Glyndebourne (Guardian)
New funding for dancing classes (BBC News Online)

Times, Daily Express, Daily Telegraph

Primary pupils in Scotland are being encouraged to play on Nintendo DS consoles in class to boost their cognitive skills as part of a pilot scheme.

After assembly, switch on your Nintendo (Times)
Screen game children do best in class (Daily Express not online)
Pupils to begin the day playing Nintendo game (Daily Telegraph)
A web of intrigue that adds up (Daily Telegraph)

UK private equity group Sovereign Capital is thought to have won the auction to buy World Class Learning Schools, an educational firm that owns the 'British Schools in America' chain.

Private equity goes to school as Sovereign wins $75m auction (Independent on Sunday)

Entrepreneur Peter Jones is to set up his own business academy to help teenagers launch their own companies.

The tycoon curriculum (Sunday Times)
Let's introduce a GCSE in how to handle money (Observer)

Daily Telegraph, Times, Guardian, Observer, Daily Mail, Independent

Research by the University of Sheffield suggests that children born to socially active parents are more likely to have children who succeed at school. ATL has warned that increasing numbers of children are starting school without being toilet trained.

Children with sociable parents 'succeed at school' (Daily Telegraph)
Sociable parents have brighter children (Times)
Parents who join clubs 'have brighter children' (Guardian)
How our son taught us the secret songs of autism (Observer)
Pupils 'are struggling because of home life' (Daily Telegraph)
Parents too busy for toilet training (Daily Mail)
How educated parents snubbed the MMR jab (Daily Mail)
It's up to us to tame our little barbarians (Independent)

Observer

Experts are arguing that stabilisers, which for decades have been used to help children learn to cycle, could actually be hindering their progress. An experiment is being launched in London in an attempt to prove the theory.

Stabilisers slow down baby bikers (Observer)