ISC Daily News Summary

Times, Daily Telegraph, Guardian

The annual conference of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) is taking place this week. Speaking yesterday, the union's national officer for independent schools, John Richardson, claimed that teachers in independent schools are denied the most basic employment rights, such as written contracts. Chairman of the Independent Schools' Bursars Association (ISBA), Danny Cooper, is quoted in all of the articles, stating that 'we may be the independent sector but we are still governed by employment law.' The Times also points out that 'while teachers in the biggest independent schools could expect to earn a third more than colleagues in the state sector, those in smaller schools that were not members of the Independent Schools Council or any other professional body, were likely to earn less.'

Pressure of league tables is forcing teachers to work 100-hour weeks (Times)
Independent schools 'exploit staff' (Daily Telegraph)
Private school teachers complain about pay (Guardian online only)

Times

In the third of an occasional Times series exploring some of the more curious aspects of British life and society, Ben Schott has teamed up with Ipsos MORI to examine class, rank and social mobility. The survey included one question on perceptions of independent education. Headmaster of Brighton College, Richard Cairns, is quoted in an accompanying Times2 feature.

Schott's Almanac of Class (Times not online)
People like us (Times2)
Soaring cost of living is claiming many more middle-class victims (Times)

Financial Times, Third Sector

The Financial Times reports on the newly-established Charity Tribunal, which will allow charities, including independent schools, to appeal against decisions of the Charity Commission. ISC General Counsel, Matthew Burgess, is quoted in a Third Sector article, which continues to analyse the Charity Commission's latest draft public benefit guidance for fee-charging charities.

Charity Tribunal promises justice (Financial Times)
Schools and Commission clash (Third Sector)

Independent, Times, Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, BBC News Online

Further coverage of the ATL annual conference, with a number of newspapers reporting on concerns raised at the event. These include fears that white, working-class children are being overlooked at school, stress at school contributes to youth suicides and the demise of the traditional family is leading to indiscipline among pupils. There also reports today on a New York study, which has found that stressed parents could be making their children more vulnerable to illness.

Pressure at school blamed for childhood suicide toll (Independent)
Enough youth suicides to fill a school (Times)
Stress driving pupils to suicide, says union (Guardian)
Parents' stress may affect child health (Guardian)
Schools 'fail white working class' (Daily Telegraph not online)
Stressed parents 'make children ill' (Daily Telegraph not online)
Primary teachers to fight 'grade pressure' tests (Daily Telegraph)
Broken homes creating 'toxic circle' for children (Daily Telegraph)
Plight of white working-class boys (Daily Mail)
Decline of marriage is destroying children, say teachers (Daily Mail)
White boys 'need local lessons' (BBC News Online)
'Toxic cycle' of family breakdown (BBC News Online)
Stressed parents 'make kids ill' (BBC News Online)

Times, Guardian

Local Government Association (LGA) figures, seen by the Times, indicate that soaring numbers of parents are lying about where they live to get their children into leading schools. The Guardian reports that judges in the Spanish city of Seville believe that some parents are divorcing just to earn the crucial points needed to get their offspring into the top schools.

Far more parents are lying to secure school places (Times)
Spanish parents faking divorce to get children into best schools (Guardian)

BBC News Online

A survey by the South Yorkshire Education Project suggests that four out of five parents do not understand enough about Diplomas to give advice to their children on whether to opt for the qualification.

Parents are 'baffled by Diplomas' (BBC News Online)

Guardian, Independent, BBC News Online

Children's Secretary Ed Balls yesterday unveiled plans to cut crime among children. The plans will involve the most 'challenging' youngsters having to sign behaviour contracts, with schools, social workers and doctors being asked to identify pupils whose behaviour is threatening to become criminal.

Doctors and schools to spot 1,000 children at risk of turning to crime (Guardian)
Ministers target badly behaved children in £218m crime scheme (Independent)
Early warning for bad behaviour (BBC News Online)

Herald, Scotsman

Scottish government figures show that of the 51,000 young people who left school in Scotland in 2006-07, more than 5000 then registered as unemployed.

More than 5000 Scots school-leavers go on dole (Herald)
School's out forever. Now what? (Herald)
Parents' school placing requests fall (Scotsman)

Guardian

The BBC has confirmed it is in talks to launch a youth version of 'The Apprentice' next year. The fourth series of the programme begins on BBC1 next Wednesday.

Children in line to compete for Sugar apprenticeship (Guardian)

Balanced views of history in schools (Independent letters)
We can - and must - challenge homophobia in schools (Guardian letters)
Learning languages (Times letters)

The ISC office will be closed tomorrow and will re-open next Wednesday (26 March). Brief versions of your Daily News Summary will be sent tomorrow and Tuesday, with the full service to resume on the 26th. Enjoy the Easter weekend!

ISC Chief Executive Jonathan Shephard leaves us today to take up his new role at the Periodical Publishers Association (PPA). ISC staff would like to take this opportunity to thank Jonathan for everything he has achieved over the last four years. He will be greatly missed and we wish him well for the future.