ISC Daily News Summary

In a report, the Commons Public Accounts select committee has condemned the 'dismal' standard of the three-Rs among adults, and warned that the low standards are putting the British economy under threat.

Skills for Life: Progress in Improving Adult Literacy and Numeracy (Committee of Public Accounts report)
Almost 24 million adults with poor numeracy skills, say MPs (Daily Telegraph)
Millions of adults lack the basic skills in English and maths to get by (Times)
'Too many' cannot read and write (BBC News Online)
A write mess (Sun not online)

The President of Universities UK, Professor Rick Trainor, has warned that the current 200-year-old degree classification system is 'outmoded' and does not tell employers enough about students.

Universities call for new degree classifications (Independent)
Degree classifications 'outmoded', claim universities (Daily Telegraph)
British degrees are out of date, vice-chancellors admit (Guardian)
Degree system must change as some universities are easier than others, say dons (Daily Mail)

The Head and Chief Executive of the troubled Richard Rose Central Academy in Carlisle quit last night after Ofsted put the school into 'special measures' just five months after opening.

Government's flagship academy plunged into chaos (Daily Telegraph)
Ofsted intervenes at new academy (BBC News Online)
Heads quit as Ofsted fails troubled school (Independent not online)
Chief executive and head sacked at new academy (Times not online)

Samsung has released a new mobile phone aimed at 'pre-teens'. At a cost of between £70 and £80, the Tobi phone is supposed to ease the minds of concerned parents with several safety features that will make it easier to call parents in an emergency and stop children receiving bullying text messages.

Safety device or just a must-have gizmo? The parent's dilemma over pre-teen mobile (Times)

The Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, has recommended that parents should not allow their children to drink - even at home - until they are 15.

Official: children must not drink a drop (Independent)
'No booze for children under 15' (Daily Express)
Should children under 15 be allowed to drink alcohol? (Daily Express)

Feature on home education in today's Daily Express.

School's out for our children (Daily Express not online)

Hard work will get you into Oxbridge (Independent letters)
Robust diplomas (Guardian letters)

Today's Independent Education supplement includes articles on teaching methods in Manchester, a course on the Blair government, diplomas and universities helping businesses during the recession. Today's Independent also includes a 'schools of the future' supplement (not online).

The Council of British International Schools (COBIS) will be holding its annual conference in London, from 9th to 11th May 2009. The conference is open to heads, governors, and senior managers. Representatives from ISC schools, particularly those interested in opening branches abroad, are more than welcome to attend. Full details are available at http://www.cobis.org.uk/ or by e-mailing general.secretary@cobis.org.uk.

A primary school in South Wales is being built with circular classrooms. The teacher will stand in the middle of the room and a projector will bounce words and pictures on to the walls.

'Spaceship' school (BBC News Online)
No dunce's corner in circular classroom (Times not online)
Nowhere for the dunce to stand in classroom without corners (Daily Mail)
All-round schooling (Sun not online)