Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the Independent Schools Council, has said initiation ceremonies at schools and universities create problems and should be stamped out. By Greg Hurst, The Times. Article also quotes Robin Fletcher, chief executive of the Boarding Schools’ Association.

The UK's National Crime Agency has warned independent schools to be vigilant for parents using laundered money to pay for school fees. By Harry Wilson and John Simpson, The Times. References the Independent Schools Council.

The Sunday Times reports on findings from an education consultancy, ISC Research, which show a rise in the number of British private schools opening overseas. By Sian Griffiths. References Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh.

Writing for Tes, Dr Tony Breslin argues the relationship between inclusion and attainment must be rebalanced in order to meet the requirements of adopted and looked after children. Dr Tony Breslin is a member of the Adoption UK Board of Trustees, a teacher, school governor and former GCSE chief examiner and local authority education adviser.

A report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has revealed a severe squeeze in funding for students in school sixth forms and colleges. By Sally Weale, The Guardian.

Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge, a judge on BBC1’s The Apprentice, has said children should be volunteering, working and playing sport, in order to force them out of their 'social media bubble'. By Sian Griffiths, The Sunday Times.

In response, members of the National Citizen Service (NCS) National Youth Board, have written a letter to The Times saying they should be known as “generation citizen” not “generation snowflake”. Letter halfway down.

Teachers will be connected from across the world through new government funding, which will be used to enable “classroom-to-classroom” activities to be run over WhatsApp. By Alix Robertson, Schools Week.

A review of the computer science GCSE qualification has been launched, after take-up of the subject stagnated - especially among girls. By Jess Staufenberg, Schools Week.

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