ISC Daily News Summary
ISC Daily News Summary 19 April 2018- Poorer pupils in England are a whole GCSE grade behind their peers in maths, report finds
- Teacher training: 'We are witnessing a dangerous lowering of the bar to entry'
- British girl wins gold medal in international maths competition
- Narrow vocabulary 'hits pupils' grades'
- Pushy parents ignore welfare in quest for grades, says head
- Half of academy bosses say autonomy 'not positive' for the classroom
- Fitness trackers are damaging youngsters’ mental health, leading headmaster warns
- No evidence separating twins boosts academic achievement, research finds
Poorer pupils in England are a whole GCSE grade behind their peers in maths, report finds
General EducationEngland would have to double the number of disadvantaged pupils achieving top GCSE grades in maths to match some of the best countries in the world, a new report has found. By Eleanor Busby, The Independent. Also reported by Tes and Schools Week.
Teacher training: 'We are witnessing a dangerous lowering of the bar to entry'
Recruitment and RetentionTraining providers are now being asked to justify why they haven't accepted an application to train as a teacher – this flip in expectation renders the application process pointless, writes one ITT sector leader. By Emma Hollis, Tes.
British girl wins gold medal in international maths competition
General EducationEmily Beatty, who attends King Edward VII School in Sheffield, came joint-first among nearly 200 teenagers who took part. She was one of only five competitors to get a perfect score of 42 out of 42. Her teammates Alevtina Studenikina, from Cheltenham Ladies' College in Gloucestershire, and Naomi Wei, from City of London School For Girls, won silver medals for their scores. Melissa Quail, from Longsands Academy in Cambridgeshire, won a bronze medal. By Sarah Marsh, The Guardian.
Narrow vocabulary 'hits pupils' grades'
General EducationMonosyllabic adolescents may be nothing new, but the latest research suggests a big chunk of them do not know enough words to do well at school. By Hannah Richardson, BBC News. Also reported by The Times and The Guardian.
Pushy parents ignore welfare in quest for grades, says head
Child WelfareToo many parents put their children’s health and happiness bottom of the list of priorities, and academic success firmly at the top, according to the headmistress of a leading prep school. By Rosemary Bennett, The Times. Article includes quotes from Helen Lowe, head of Bute House Preparatory School for Girls in west London, which were originally published in Attain.
Half of academy bosses say autonomy 'not positive' for the classroom
Academies and Free SchoolsNearly half of academy leaders in England believe that their autonomy has had no effect or a negative impact in the classroom, according to new research from the Sutton Trust. By Will Hazell, Tes. Also reported by iNews.
Fitness trackers are damaging youngsters’ mental health, leading headmaster warns
Mental HealthFitness trackers are damaging youngsters’ mental health and parents should stop encouraging their children to wear them, a leading preparatory school headmaster has warned. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph. Article includes quotes from William Dunlop, head of Clayesmore Preparatory School in Dorset, which were originally published in Attain.