Clarissa Farr, former high mistress at St Paul’s Girls’ School, writes to The Times arguing that investment in improving crumbling school buildings should be a priority. There are two further letters on school funding from David Laws, executive chairman of the Education Policy Institute, and Dr Joanna Williams, head of education at Policy Exchange.

Letters half-way down.

Data from a large banking leak has found over 50 education providers were in receipt of money via tax haven firms, including a number of independent schools. By Juliette Garside, The Guardian. The article quotes Mike Buchanan, executive director of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference.

The Guardian includes a podcast discussing "Britain's dirty money problem".

Read ISC's statement on the importance of vigilance around the source of payments received by schools.

There are now more than 40 former independent schoolboys playing professional football, according to the Independent Schools Football Association. The Telegraph discusses what might be causing this popularity surge. By Tom Cary. The article quotes Ian Clarkson, master in charge of football at Foremarke Hall, the preparatory school for Repton and references a number of ISC schools.

The Worldwide Educating for Future Index has ranked the UK 10th in the world for equipping young people with "21st-century skills". By Will Hazell, Tes.

A poll by the Sixth Form Colleges Association has found half of sixth forms in schools and colleges have had to drop A-levels in modern languages due to "inadequate" funding. By Sally Weale, The Guardian.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has said women in education work '95 days a year for free’, due to the gender pay gap. By Will Hazell, Tes.

In a bid to improve diversity, Cambridge University is providing extra places for disadvantaged students who achieved better A-levels than expected. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has said creative arts degrees are the most costly to the taxpayer because alumni are less likely to pay off their loan. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.

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