ISC Daily News Summary

Daily Telegraph
Schools are scrimping on textbooks and teachers because the amount of money spent on examination fees has soared by £100 million in just six years, it is claimed. Official figures show state schools and colleges in England spent more than £265 million enrolling pupils for tests last year, compared to £155 million in 2003. Fees for exams such as GCSEs, A-levels and GNVQs are now second only to staff salaries as the biggest expense in state schools.
Textbooks axed as exam fees rise by £100m (Daily Telegraph)

Financial Times
The head of Partnerships for Schools has signalled that the Building Schools for the Future project is recovering from the credit crunch, only months after it seemed to be suffering funding difficulties. 20 banks are now prepared to fund the £54bn project, compared to the beginning of January when "only six banks were lending".
Banks resume £54bn schools lending (Financial Times)

Guardian
Some of the country's most prestigious universities are facing cuts to their language departments because the government has diverted funding from arts and humanities subjects to protect the sciences, it is reported.
Top university language departments face harsh cuts (Guardian)

Times
University libraries are having to cut the number of books and journals they buy because of the falling value of the pound. A survey shows that 40% of libraries plan to reduce the number of new overseas journals they buy.
University libraries hit (Times - not online)

Times, Scotsman
The Conservative party have obtained figures stating that there were almost 3,000 arson attacks on school property last year. The worst-affected area was the South East.
Fire-raising at schools hits nearly two a day (Scotsman)
School arson attacks (Times - not online)

Here is a selection of articles from the TES:
BNP councillors target schools as key battleground (TES)
First state primary turns choir school (TES)
Rose has 'failed', warns fledgling curriculum body (TES)
Minister heads off SEN protest (TES)
Gifted and talented face further reform - yet again (TES)
Fast-food diet can result in slow-brain children (TES)
Swine flu schools let pupils sit exams - but keep their distance (TES)

Here is a selection of articles from the THE:
Peer review teeters as experts struggle with burden of work (THE)
Fine-tuned data show UK challenging US as the top overseas draw (THE)
Savings drive hits teaching and places (THE)
Bottom line: universities are still not completely engaged (THE)
Thumbs down for skills-agenda qualifications (THE)
Denham rejects calls to turn QAA into universities' Ofsted (THE)

The Independent Schools Show 2009 will take place on 30^th and 31^st October. Many ISC schools will be taking part in this event. If you would like to book a place or require more information, then details are available via this link - http://www.schoolsshow.co.uk/

Daily Mirror, Sun
Sir Alan Sugar is to present a new junior Apprentice show. The programme for 10 contenders aged 16-17 will begin filming later this year. Rather than being hired by Sir Alan, the winner will get a prize "tailored to his or her individual career prospects". It is thought this will include payment for training, mentoring or even help in launching a product or business.
Sir Alan Sugar signs up for teenage version of the show (Daily Mirror)
Sir Alan Sugar to launch teenage version (Sun)