ISC Daily News Summary

Widespread coverage of the ISC Annual Census 2008, which has been published today, including front page references in the Times and Financial Times. The Census reports that pupil numbers are at a record high of 511,677, having risen 0.8% since 2007. This is the highest growth rate since 2003. Press coverage focuses largely on record pupil numbers, increased entrance of ISC pupils to higher education and a rise in nursery pupils. ISC Chief Executive, Chris Parry, is quoted on BBC News Online and in the Guardian, with ISC Head of Research, Pru Jones, also quoted in the Guardian. Deborah Odysseas-Bailey (ISA), Bernard Trafford (HMC), Vicky Tuck (GSA), Nick Dorey (SHMIS) and David Hanson (IAPS), who were all on the panel at ISC's press conference to launch the Census yesterday, are quoted in a number of articles. Deborah Odysseas-Bailey also spoke live on BBC Radio London this morning. David Levin (City of London School) and Stephen Rigby (Dulwich Prep School) are also quoted.

2008 ISC Annual Census (ISC)
Census press release (ISC)
Private school demand is highest for five years despite big fee rises (Times)
Under-fives set on track to Oxbridge (Financial Times)
Record number of parents educating children privately (Independent)
Record numbers at private school (Daily Telegraph)
New qualifications 'causing rise in private pupils' (Guardian)
More go private (Daily Mail)
Surge to go private (Daily Express not online)
Private schools net more pupils (BBC News Online)
Families hit by 6.5% rise in school fees (Evening Standard)

There is also coverage today of the rising number of pupils at independent schools in Scotland, according to figures from the Scottish government. Director of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS), Judith Sischy, is quoted in both articles. Head of Glasgow Academy's prep school, Tony Brooke, is quoted in the Herald.

Private pupil numbers soar (Scotsman)
Numbers at private schools rise despite sharp increase in fees (Herald)

Wellington College has won £25million in government funding to run an academy for children in Andover, Hampshire - many of whom will be from military families. The Wellington Academy is due to open in September 2009. Master of Wellington, Dr Anthony Seldon, is quoted on BBC News Online.

Wellington College to run Academy (BBC News Online)
Military state school (Times)
Public school to run new academy (Independent not online)

'Young people are trained so intensively to jump through the examiners' hoops that many struggle to make anything but the most obvious connections between topics or to develop their own opinions.' Mark S. Steed, Headmaster, Kelly College.

'The sooner we can clear the tables, the better.' Paul Cheater, Senior Master, Summer Fields.

The best schools resist the tyranny of league tables (Daily Telegraph letters not online)

New government figures show that the number of pupils in England's schools speaking English as a second language has risen to a record high. There are now almost 500,000 children in primary schools who have English as a second language - an estimated one in seven - with a further 350,000 pupils in secondary schools. A Financial Times analysis of the Pisa international reading survey suggests that British teenagers would have performed 'significantly above' rich countries' average in reading skills, were it not for the comparatively poor performance of immigrants' children.

English is not the first language for 800,000 children (Daily Telegraph)
The English language in British schools (Daily Telegraph)
Language barrier makes more work for teachers (Times)
Pupils from minorities have doubled in a decade (Daily Mail)
English not the first language for one in eight pupils (Daily Express)
Kids with English as second language at record high (Daily Mirror)
Migrants 'lower reading results' (Financial Times)

A leaked Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) discussion document suggests that schools should become accountable for 18 new targets, from bullying and neglect to what happens to pupils after they leave school. Sources say the 10-page document calls for Ofsted inspectors to judge schools on the wide range of measures in addition to existing criteria such as exam results and exclusion rates, and could be implemented by 2009.

Schools may be judged on teenage pregnancy rates and drug problems (Guardian)
Ofsted social targets misunderstand schools (Guardian)
Ofsted to use teen pregnancy and drug abuse 'league tables' to monitor pupils' health (Daily Mail)

Figures from the DCSF indicate that children at infant schools in England are being increasingly taught in classes of more than 30.

Class sizes for infants increasing (Daily Telegraph)
Supersize classes (Daily Mail)

The Independent reports that the Excelsior City Academy in Newcastle, due to open this September, has moved to sever its links with disgraced Tory peer Lord Laidlaw.

School to cut ties with Lord Laidlaw (Daily Telegraph)
Academy severs links with peer (Independent not online)

A feature in today's Times2 debates whether or not it is right for parents to lie in order to secure a place for their child at a good school.

Parents who cheat at school (Times2)

A primary school in Liverpool has banned girls from wearing ballet-style pumps to school because the head believes the flat, slip-on shoes are dangerous.

‘Dangerous' ballet pumps are booted out of school (Daily Mail)