ISC Daily News Summary

Sunday Telegraph, Daily Telegraph, Times, BBC News Online

A number of articles preview the Boarding Schools Association (BSA) Annual Conference, which takes place from tomorrow (29th April) until Thursday. The Sunday Telegraph and Daily Telegraph report that, at the conference, Eton College and St Paul's School will announce they are to 'boycott' this year's A-level and GCSE league tables because they believe the way the government gives equal weighting to A-levels and vocational qualifications is 'nonsensical'. High Master of St Paul's, Dr Martin Stephen, and Head Master of Eton, Anthony Little, are quoted. There is also further coverage of the debate surrounding independent schools that are reportedly cheating league tables by preventing low-achieving pupils from taking exams, as reported on in last week's TES. Chairman of BSA, Geoffrey Boult, Head Master of Harrow School, Barnaby Lenon, Master of Dulwich College, Graham Able, and Head Master of King's College School, Andrew Halls, are all quoted.

Leading schools revolt over league tables (Sunday Telegraph)
Private schools to shun exam league tables (Daily Telegraph)
Less able pupils kept out of exams to boost league tables (Daily Telegraph)
Private schools 'cull' pupils for league table (Times)
Tables 'restrict A-level choices' (BBC News Online)

The Financial Times reports on figures from the Good Schools Guide, which suggest that sixth-form fees at some independent schools have risen by up to 60% in five years. Reference is made to a large number of ISC schools with Patricia Kelleher (Perse School for Girls), David Levin (City of London School), Christopher Ray (Manchester Grammar School), Clarissa Farr (St Paul's Girls' School) and Tim Synge (Badminton School) quoted. The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Times report on a letter Winchester College has sent to parents which asks them to contribute to the school's £70million appeal, the majority of which will fund bursaries. The school's Headmaster, Dr Ralph Townsend, is quoted, with reference also made to its warden, Sir Andrew Large. The ISC Annual Census 2008 will be published on Wednesday 30th April.

Top private school fees rise 60% over five years (Financial Times)
Private schools' fees to rise again (Financial Times)
Sponsorship policy wins top marks (Financial Times)
Cheaper rivals in New Zealand (Financial Times)
School fees up by four times inflation rate (Sunday Telegraph)
Winchester College parents pay for poor pupils (Daily Telegraph)
Winchester tells parents to pay for bursaries for poorer pupils (Sunday Times)
How City mums invest for their kids (Sunday Times)

A study by Bristol University indicates that boys would get better English results at primary school if they were taught in single-sex classes.

Boys 'might do better in single-sex classes' (Observer)
Boys 'better at English in single-sex classes' (Daily Telegraph)
Boys 'achieve better results in classrooms free of girls' (Daily Mail)

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg is today expected to warn that rising immigration is putting pressure on schools and undermining educational standards.

Immigration undermining education, warns Clegg (Daily Telegraph)

Sunday Express

The Sunday Express reports that a new generation of state boarding schools are to be built around the country as the government taps into the 'Hogwarts effect'. The newspaper also reports on a new scheme called Transition to Teaching, which will encourage professionals, including former military personnel, to become teachers.

Hogwarts education for the army (Sunday Express)
Failing schools to be saved by RAF heroes (Sunday Express not online)

Brief article in the Times on diplomas, with the Institute of Education warning that the new qualification will 'jeopardise' proper vocational training.

Concern at diplomas (Times)

Government figures show that one pupil in 10 a year is suspended from their secondary school because of bad behaviour.

10% pupils suspended from class (Daily Mirror)

Further coverage of the NUT teachers' strike last week.

It's poor discipline, not low pay, that drives teachers to quit the classroom (Independent)
We need higher pay for better teachers (Daily Telegraph)
Still fighting for the wrong reasons (Sunday Times)
Gordon and the fine art of losing friends (Observer)

Times

Research by the Sutton Trust reveals that 40% of secondary pupils say they get little or no information about university from their school.

Pupils 'lack advice about university' (Times)

In an interview with the Sunday Times, Children's Secretary Ed Balls indicates that he can understand why parents go to desperate measures to get their children into successful faith schools.

Balls climbs down over faith schools (Sunday Times)
I won't be knifing Gordon Brown, says Ed Balls (Sunday Times)

Feature on school governors in Saturday's Daily Telegraph.

Are governors failing the test? (Daily Telegraph)

Scottish Standard Grades are to be scrapped and new qualifications testing the 'Three Rs' introduced as part of a shake-up of the exam system.

Standard Grades axed in schools shake-up (Scotsman)
All pupils to sit tests in the three Rs before leaving school as Standard Grades axed (Herald)
Rethink on Standard approach (Herald)
15 councils have no plan on how to cut primary class sizes (Herald)
End of the line for Scottish Standard Grades (Daily Telegraph)

The Times has uncovered a number of contraband schemes whereby entrepreneurial pupils are operating a black-market trade in food banned in schools, including burgers and chocolate, in a backlash against healthier canteen menus.

Have junk food touts got Jamie Oliver licked? (Times)
Sweet success (Times)
The packed lunch police are coming (Times)
The £2 school dinner (Daily Mirror)

Volunteers who coach children in sport may be forced to withdraw their support as a result of the new UK Coaching Framework, which aims to make coaching a regulated profession by stipulating that coaches must have qualifications and criminal background checks.

You can't teach me about soccer, mum (Times)

'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' has been added to AQA's A-level English syllabus, sparking claims exams are being 'Dumbledored' down.

A-level for the Harry swotter (Sun)
An A-level in Harry Potter: Experts fear 'dumbing down' as book becomes set text (Mail on Sunday)
Harry Potter in 'dumbing down' row over A-level English (Daily Mirror)