ISC Daily News Summary

ISC is pleased to announce that the job search function of the new ISC Job Zone is now live on the ISC website. To add your school's job vacancies, log in to the ISC Member Zone. If you have yet to register for the Member Zone you can sign up here and complete the questions under the title 'New User'. You will then be e-mailed your login details. If you have already registered but have forgotten your password, click here. Once logged in, click on 'Job Administration' in the left navigation and start adding your vacancies. There is no limit as to how many of your school staff can register for the Member Zone. If you have any problems, please e-mail website@isc.co.uk.

Head Master of Eton College, Tony Little, is quoted in the Daily Telegraph and Evening Standard, discussing the potential impact of the recession on independent schools. Both newspapers report that Mr Little expects the economic downturn to create some 'casualties' among independent schools. President of the Girls' Schools Association (GSA), Jill Berry, is also quoted in the Daily Telegraph piece. Reference is also made to a recent statement made by ISC Chief Executive David Lyscom on this issue.

Eton headmaster: private schools 'may close' (Daily Telegraph)
Fee-paying schools will close, warns Eton head (Evening Standard)

Cobham Hall letter

Daily Telegraph

'While it is true that top grades in IB examinations allow universities to recognise the very highest achievers, the IB organisation itself sees the diploma as an accessible and inclusive qualification, not an intellectually exclusive one.' Paul Mitchell, Headmaster, Cobham Hall.

Exams for all abilities (Daily Telegraph letters)

Bradfield College letter

Independent

'Instead of encouraging schools to develop expertise in specific subject areas, the government should consider backing measures that help schools deliver a well-rounded education that does well by all pupils, whatever their talents, and whatever their interests.' Peter Roberts, Headmaster, Bradfield College.

Pupils benefit from rounded education (Independent letters)

Comment piece in the Times on the ContactPoint database.

This database is good mother, not big brother (Times)
Labour's ineffective databases reveal bungling snoopers (Daily Telegraph)

An annual study of local authorities across England by the Daycare Trust has found that the cost of childcare is rising faster than inflation, with the average nursery place for a child under the age of two now £167 a week. The Daily Telegraph reports that all adults working with children could be required to have the equivalent of an A-level under new government plans, while the Daily Mail reports on a survey by Yours magazine, which suggests that half of grandparents are babysitting at least one young grandchild for 20 hours a week.

Cost of childcare rising faster than inflation, report claims (Daily Telegraph)
All nursery workers 'must have an A-level' (Daily Telegraph)
New childcare reforms unveiled as cost of pre-school care rises higher than rate of inflation (Guardian)
Nursery prices rise at above rate of inflation (Financial Times)
Government to expand free nursery places scheme to cover two-year-olds (Daily Mail)
Babysitting grandparents save you £6,000 in pre-school care fees (Daily Mail)
Childcare fees 'continue to rise' (BBC News Online)

Young people who study personal finance at school are likely to see a dramatic improvement in their ability to make financial decisions, according to new research from the University of Manchester.

Boost for school finance studies (Financial Times)

Statistics uncovered by the Cross Party Group on Balanced Migration reveal that there are ten primary schools in England where 100% of pupils do not speak English as their first language.

The primary schools where no pupil speaks English (Daily Telegraph)
The schools where NO ONE speaks English as a first language (Daily Mail)

MPs have warned that the future of London Metropolitan University is in doubt as it faces the repayment of over £50million, after an audit found 'incorrect data' on students.

University's 'future in doubt' (BBC News Online)

A team of students from Exeter University has been knocked out of University Challenge after gaining the second lowest score of all time.

Exeter duck out of University Challenge (Guardian)
Exeter University bow out of University Challenge beaten 350 to 15 (Daily Telegraph)
Non starter: Exeter students get lowest University Challenge score in 38 YEARS (Daily Mail)
I too was mocked on University Challenge (Daily Express not online)