Take-up of foreign languages at secondary school is at its lowest level since the millennium, according to BBC analysis. By Branwen Jeffreys.

Does your school take part in a state school partnership, helping to teach languages that are vulnerable in the state sector? If you'd like to write a 400-800 word blog on the subject, please email georgina.belcher@isc.co.uk.

Supporting pupils to bring out their best: Clare Bracken, head of mathematics at Pocklington School, argues that an all-round supportive approach, rather than a STEM-focused push, is what’s needed to bring out the best in students.

Preventing gender stereotypes: Nigel Helliwell, head of St Faith’s School in Cambridge, argues that tackling the issues of gender stereotyping in STEM subjects is vital given its importance in the modern world.

The head of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), has said arts may become more important than maths in the fourth industrial revolution. Andreas Schleicher also commented that "UK private schools excel in teaching 21st century skills". By Martin George, Tes.

Tes reports in a separate article that UK pupils are "less well prepared than other nations" for the fourth industrial revolution, according to the PISA boss. By Martin George, Tes.

Gabriel Heller-Sahlgren, lead economist at the Centre for Education Economics, details what parents think the main outcomes are when investing time or money in their child's education. Tes.

Despite opposition from teaching unions, the Department for Education will test four and five-year-old children in their first weeks of schooling. By Richard Adams, The Guardian.

Susan Ward, depute headteacher at Kingsland Primary School in Peebles, argues why primary aged pupils should be taught about computing. Tes.

Forest Gate Community School in east London will shorten its week to four-and-a-half days, in a bid to boost happiness and productivity. By Rosemary Bennett, The Times.

The Independent Schools Council (ISC) monitors the national and educational press in order to keep independent schools up-to-date with relevant education news. The DNS is a service primarily for schools in membership of ISC associations, although other interested parties can choose to sign-up. We endeavour to include relevant news and commentary and, wherever possible, notable public letters. Where capacity allows, we may include links to ISC blogs, press statements and information about school or association events. News stories are selected based on their relevance to the independent sector as a whole. Editorial control of the DNS remains solely with the ISC.

Sign-up to the email service is available on our website.

Members can contact the ISC if they know in advance of news, letters or opinions that are likely to feature in the media, or are aware of existing coverage which they would like to see featured in the DNS.

Headlines and first-line summaries are written by the ISC with the link directing to the source material. You should read and comply with the terms and conditions of the websites to which we link.