ISC Daily News Summary

Large feature in the sport section of today's Independent on how the roots of the modern Olympic Games can be traced to the playing fields of England and Rugby School's former Headmaster, Thomas Arnold. The school's current Headmaster, Patrick Derham, is quoted.

Britain's first Olympian (Independent)
I was school boffin, says Olympic Chrissie (Evening Standard)

A study of national curriculum test results by the University of Bristol for the Economic and Social Research Council indicates that children who are left-handed or ambidextrous perform worse at school than right-handers.

Left-handed children 'do badly at school' (Independent)
Left-handed pupils fare worse (Financial Times)

Figures uncovered through the Freedom of Information Act suggest that thousands of parents are educating children at home because of a breakdown in classroom discipline. According to the data, more than 17,000 school age children are now taught at home.

Parents 'teaching children themselves to avoid bullies' (Daily Telegraph)

Social skills should be taught at primary school because many poor pupils receive little more than a 'daily grunt' from parents, according to a report jointly published today by the Smith Institute think tank and the Centre for Social Justice.

Teach social skills at five, says study (Daily Telegraph)
State urged to help deprived children to communicate (Guardian)

A Manchester University study into the national Seal (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning) programme, which was introduced to improve children's behaviour and attendance and now runs in 80% of primary schools, suggests that it has had little impact on pupil behaviour.

Behaviour classes 'lack impact' (BBC News online)

The Daily Telegraph reports on guidance issued by the Catholic Education Service, which advises Catholic schools to set aside multi-faith prayer rooms to accommodate Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh students.

Multi-faith prayer rooms 'should be in Catholic schools' (Daily Telegraph)

The Soil Association, a charity promoting sustainable food, says that schools are attracting children back to canteen dinners by growing their own vegetables.

Children eat healthier if they grow their own vegetables (Daily Telegraph)

Today's Education Guardian supplement includes articles on the new school leaving age, lessons in stand-up comedy and how the FE sector is responding to the economic crisis. Today's Guardian also includes a digital student supplement.

The Boarding Schools' Association (BSA) is now finalising numbers for their Deputies Conference, which will be held at the Chesford Grange Hotel, near Leamington Spa. The theme of the conference is 'transitions', and the main speakers include Dr Nick Baylis of the Well-Being Institute at Cambridge University, Tony Halliwell - Principal of Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College, Mr George Robinson - publisher, trainer and writer, Mr Karl Hopwood - an eSafety consultant, and Mr Bruce Marshall - an expert in the area of Child Protection. Delegates will also have the opportunity to network with colleagues in comparable jobs. For further information, please contact Michelle Champion on 0207 798 1580 or office@boarding.org.uk.

A failing school in Hull has provoked controversy after spending £100,000 of taxpayers' money on toilets that play classical music, despite the fact that the school is to be rebuilt in 2012.

Failing school spends £100,000 on musical loos (Daily Telegraph)
Crisis-hit school facing closure spends £100,000 on toilets that play classical music to pupils (Daily Mail)
£100,000 down the pan as school loo faces the axe (Daily Express not online)