ISC Daily News Summary

ISC Chief Executive David Lyscom was yesterday interviewed on BBC South East Today as part of a piece on Roedean School taking on St Mary's Hall Junior School. Since only a very small section of David's interview was used in the piece, ISC has today released a more explanatory press statement on the issue. In the final part of the Daily Telegraph's series on the 'Coping Classes', a feature today looks at how the economic downturn may be affecting parents' ability to pay school fees. Reference is made in the article to ISC and Queen Ethelburga's College.

David Lyscom on BBC South East Today (skip to 6m 50s)
ISC Chief Executive on merger of St Mary's Hall with Roedean (ISC press statement)
UK recession: the great school fees squeeze (Daily Telegraph)

A report for the cross-party Commons Public Accounts Committee concludes that nearly £400million of public money designed to get students from poor backgrounds into Britain's best universities has been wasted. The report discloses that white working class men are among those most likely to miss out on degree places, and also criticises the government for 'slow' and 'poor' progress in using universities as an engine of social mobility.

MPs attack top universities for failing to open doors to poorest students (Guardian)
Poor students 'failing to get to university' (Daily Telegraph)
University access cash 'wasted' (Independent)
Universities slow to widen social mix (Financial Times)
Uni 'block' for poorer white men (Daily Mirror)
Poor still shunning universities (BBC News Online)

The Daily Telegraph reports on an Ofqual survey, conducted by Ipsos MORI. The survey results show that almost two-thirds of teachers believe A-level students pass with less effort than previous generations - even though top grades have risen in recent years.

A-levels students 'no longer work as hard' (Daily Telegraph)

Bournemouth and Poole College is to launch a two-year further education course in surfing this September, to be subsidised by the taxpayer.

Students to spend two years learning to surf in a new college course (Daily Telegraph)
'A-level' in surfing costs the taxpayer more than £4,000-a-head (Daily Mail)
Life's a beach for surf students...but YOU pay (Daily Express)
Water joke! 2-year 'degree' in surfing (Sun)
£100k surfer college fury (Daily Mirror)

A mother has been jailed for letting her 11-year-old daughter miss 90% of her lessons, despite living just 100 yards from the school in Leeds.

Mother jailed for failing to send daughter to school 100 yards from home (Daily Telegraph)
Mother jailed again after daughter, 11, fails to attend school just 100 yards away (Daily Mail)
Mum jailed for failing to send girl to school 100 yards away (Daily Express)
Jailed for truant girl (Sun not online)
Absent minded mother (Daily Mirror)

'Your reports on the Cambridge Primary Review are wholly accurate and reflect the unease which teachers have felt for years about the testing regime, the league tables, the narrowing curriculum and the aridity of the whole primary experience for many children.'

Trust teachers and see children flourish (Independent letters)

Today's Independent Education supplement includes articles on home education, testing in schools and tuition fees.

This event will bring together the UK's leading thinkers and practitioners involved in the development of academies, and encourage independent schools attending to become engaged in the academy programme. During the day, Dr Anthony Seldon, along with leading politicians from both main parties and other visionaries within education such as Dr Elizabeth Sidwell, will talk about their perspectives on academies as the model for private-state partnership in education in the UK. Further information is available here.

The Evening Standard's diary section reports that Alleyn's School is holding a major gathering for its theatrical alumni this Sunday when Sir Trevor Nunn will open its £12.5million Michael Croft Theatre and Performing Arts Centre.

Treading the boards at Alleyn's (Evening Standard)