ISC Daily News Summary

All national newspapers, BBC News Online
Widespread coverage of the news that one million children could be locked out of school today as a result of the first national teachers' strike in 20 years. The strike is being called by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) in a protest at a pay settlement below the rate of inflation. The Guardian has published a list of those schools affected.
8,000 schools could close in tomorrow's national teachers' strike (Times)
Strike Out (Times)
Teachers' strike sows chaos at 8,000 schools (Daily Telegraph)
Indoor and outdoor activities for children (Daily Telegraph)
Teachers' strike is futile show of strength (Daily Telegraph)
Teacher strike shuts out 1m children (Guardian)
By region: Schools affected by teachers' strike (Guardian)
Voices on the strike (Guardian)
One million pupils set to be turned away from schools as teachers go on strike (Daily Mail)
A lesson in selfishness (Independent)
Teachers' strike expected to close 7,800 schools (Independent)
Third of schools hit as teachers go on strike (Daily Express not online)
Million kids hit in school strike (Sun not online)
Strike disrupting 8,000 schools (BBC News Online)

Independent Education Supplement
Today's Independent Education Supplement includes the Complete University Guide. Accompanying coverage of the league tables reveals that none of the former polytechnics have made the top 50.
The top 10 universities are listed as:
1          Oxford
2          Cambridge
3          London School of Economics
4          Imperial College
5          Warwick
6          Durham
7          St Andrews
8          University College London
9          SOAS
10        Lancaster
The Independent Education Supplement
Traditional universities still hold sway over rivals (Independent)

Daily Mail
Universities are named and shamed today for offering ‘bogus' degrees in alternative therapies such as crystal healing, the Daily Mail reports. Experts have drawn up a league table of the worse five institutions for offering "unscientific" degrees in complementary medicine. The list shows they are offering at least three degree courses in therapies such as homeopathy, acupuncture, aromatherapy, Chinese herbal medicine, Ayurvedic medicine and Naad yoga, which involves healing through music. The compilers of the table, commissioned by Times Higher Education, said it suggests some university dons are more interested in "earning money from students than retaining academic integrity", damaging the international reputation of British universities.
The worst five universities offering 'bogus' degrees in alternative medicine have been exposed by experts (Daily Mail)

Times
Thousands of incompetent teachers appear to be resigning their jobs to avoid disciplinary action. The Policy Exchange found that the General Teaching Council for England, set up in 2001, had judged only 46 to be incompetent - although its chief executive said this year that about 17,000 were likely to be substandard.
'Inept teachers jump before being pushed' (Times)

Daily Telegraph
Violence against babies and young children more than doubled last year, a national survey of hospitals reports. The number of under-10s injured in violent attacks rose from about 3,800 in 2006 to more than 8,000. This was the only age group showing an increase in the survey by Cardiff University's violence research group.
Violent attacks on children 'double' (Daily Telegraph)

The Priory / Ryan McKay Prize
The Priory Group is launching a new national non-fiction writing competition for young people aged 13 to 18. The Priory / Ryan McKay Prize will be awarded each year to the young person who writes the best essay on a set topic related to mental and physical health. The subject for 2008 entries is: 'A healthy mind in a healthy body' and the winner will receive a £1000 cash prize.

Typed, double-spaced entries of 1, 200 words should be emailed to prioryryanmckayprize@priorygroup.com. The deadline is 31 July and the winner will be announced in October.

Ryan McKay was successfully treated at the Priory Hospital Glasgow for an eating disorder and sadly died in a car accident in August 2007, aged 22. His parents have decided to honour his memory by working with the Priory Group to raise awareness of positive mental and physical health among young people, who are most at risk of eating disorders.

Daily Telegraph
Three singing priests are set to become unlikely chart stars after signing a £1 million record deal with the label behind Britney Spears and Bruce Springsteen. Fathers Eugene O'Hagan, Martin O'Hagan and David Delargy make a somewhat unusual boyband, but executives at record giant Sony BMG have every faith in their talents.
Singing priests to become chart stars (Daily Telegraph)