ISC Daily News Summary

Widespread coverage and analysis of a government-commissioned report into the primary curriculum by former senior Ofsted inspector, Sir Jim Rose, published yesterday. An article in the Financial Times focuses on the reaction to the proposed overhauls from the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS), with IAPS Chief Executive, David Hanson, quoted. There is also a letter in today's Independent on the topic from the Headmaster of Wisbech Grammar School, Nicholas Hammond.

Prep schools hit at broader lessons plan (Financial Times)
Our world-beating schools ignored (Independent letters)
Tests threaten reform of curriculum, teachers fear (Independent)
Richard Garner: The elephant in the primary curriculum review (Independent)
Leading article: Let schools decide how to teach (Independent)
Review of Sats in primaries urged (Guardian)
Rose calls for review of primary Sats (Guardian)
'Children wouldn't have to move a muscle' (Daily Telegraph)
Jim Rose's school's report is flawed: Comment (Daily Telegraph)
The slow learners in our teaching establishment (Daily Telegraph)
Do old-style subjects deaden young minds? (Times)
Primary error (Times)
Teaching for a non-existent world (Times letters)
Test yourself: could you survive the new primary curriculum? (Times)
‘Social learning' squeezes out history for primary children (Daily Mail)
Without basic literacy and numeracy, how CAN children learn anything? (Daily Mail)
Have they learned nothing in 40 years? (Daily Mail)
History faces axe in schools (Daily Express not online)
A lesson in how to confuse our pupils (Daily Express not online)
History and Geog are dumped (Sun not online)
Rose's curriculum selection box (BBC News Online)

Children's Secretary Ed Balls has announced that parents choosing a state school for their child are to get help in the form of a report card that will award schools a grade from A to F, based on factors such as pupil satisfaction and exam scores. The report cards are modelled on a system used in New York.

The 21st century school: A transformation in education (DCSF)
Balls outlines report cards plan for schools (Guardian)
New 'report cards' to grade schools by healthy eating (Daily Telegraph)
‘Report cards' on schools help parents to choose (Times)
Schools to be given grades (Sun)
Schools get report cards (Daily Mirror)
'Report cards' would rate schools (BBC News Online)

An online Times article reports that a £17million school in Staffordshire, rebuilt under the government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project, is thought to have become the first of its kind to fail an Ofsted inspection.

£17 million 'beacon school' in Staffordshire fails Ofsted inspection (Times)

The government is reportedly setting aside more than £100million to retrain those who lose their jobs as a result of the credit crisis. Under the scheme, universities and further education colleges will be told to target unemployed, highly-skilled professionals, offering them retraining, careers advice or advanced qualifications.

Middle class jobless to be retrained (Daily Telegraph)
Middle-class who lose jobs during recession to get £120m funding to go to university (Daily Mail)

Waltham Forest Council in east London council is to ban fast food outlets from opening within 400 metres of schools and parks as part of a drive to improve children's health.

Council bans fast food near schools (Daily Telegraph not online)
Ban on takeaways 'backed by 93%' (BBC News Online)

Feature in Times2 on how parents can help their offspring secure a place at university. The deadline for UCAS applications is 15th January. Today's Times2 also looks at Britain's first outdoor nursery.

The time to be a pushy parent (Times2)
Call of the wild kindergarten (Times2)

Today's Education Guardian includes articles on the battle for post-16 pupils, creative writing in schools and teaching music to urban pupils.

The AGM and Annual Conference of ISAAA takes place on Monday 26th January at Bolton School, and will focus on the theme of 'good practice in adventure provision'. Places cost £85 per person, including refreshments and a buffet lunch. ISAAA is also running a CPD event in May 2009. For further information about either of these events, and to book a place, please contact ISAAA Secretary, John Allen.

Old Etonian Abhisit Vejjavija is expected to become Thailand's next prime minister after his Democrat party claimed to have sufficient support to form a new coalition to govern the turbulent kingdom.

Old Etonian in line to become new Thai PM (Guardian)
Etonian expected to be next Thai PM (Daily Telegraph)
British-born Abhisit Vejjajiva to be named new Thai prime minister (Times)