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Daily News Summary
21 April 2020

Coronavirus: NHS workers call for schools to remain closed
Legal challenge prompts review into school police officers strategy

Coronavirus: NHS workers call for schools to remain closed

 

More than 7,500 NHS workers have signed a letter urging the Government to keep schools closed until 'widespread testing for suspected COVID-19, rigorous contact tracing and scrupulous adherence to quarantining' conditions are met. By Dave Speck, Tes. Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT, has laid out five conditions he believes must be "fully addressed" before schools reopen. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph. A separate article in The Telegraph explores what needs to happen before restrictions on school closures can be lifted. By Camilla Turner.

Tes reports on comments made by Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT, who has said the Government is "reluctant to accept" that personal protective equipment "needs to be provided" in schools. By Dave Speck.

The Daily Mail reports The Abbey College in Malvern, Worcester, plans to run its third term throughout the summer months to ensure pupils can catch up on their education. The school has also announced it is offering up to 30 free places to children of NHS staff. By Milly Vincent. The article quotes Malcolm Wood, principal at the school.

Samuel Chan, managing director of Britannia StudyLink, has warned UK boarding schools must provide assurance to parents of international students of their approach to coronavirus, to prevent a drop in enrolment numbers for 2020. By Viggo Stacey, The PIE News. The article references quotes from David Woodgate, chief executive of the Independent Schools' Bursars Association, Peter Woodroffe, deputy chief executive officer of the Independent Schools Association (ISA), and Neil Roskilly, chief executive of the ISA.

The Times explores the impact the pandemic is having on children's mental health. By Greg Hurst and Emma Yeomans. A separate article in The Times reports exam uncertainty in Ireland is causing stress among students. By Aine McMahon.

Updated exams guidance issued by the Scottish Qualifications Authority states schools' previous academic records can be taken into account to moderate grades awarded by teachers. By Simon Johnson, The Telegraph.

Tes reports more than 250,000 online lessons have been accessed through the Oak National Academy, a government-backed virtual school. A separate article in Tes reports a group of lawyers are pursuing legal action against the Government, claiming the online learning support package announced by education secretary Gavin Williamson is "not good enough". By Dave Speck. According to updated guidance published by the Scottish Government, schools and councils should "redirect resources aimed at closing the attainment gap to help mitigate the impacts of school closures on our most disadvantaged families". By Emma Seith, Tes.

Universities have been urged to refrain from altering offers from conditional to unconditional for a further two weeks to ensure students can make decisions without "undue pressure". Tes.

The Times reports some headteachers are being forced to use their budgets to repay parents for cancelled trips, after PGL Travel, a firm that runs short-stay school trips in the UK and France, said it would not be offering refunds. By Rosemary Bennett.

 

Legal challenge prompts review into school police officers strategy

 

The Met Police is to launch a review of its school police officers strategy, following claims that boys from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, and those with special educational needs, are "the subject of disproportionately high levels" of police interventions. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

 
The Telegraph

 

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