isc logo  

Daily News Summary
29 April 2020

Coronavirus: Lockdown could leave disadvantaged pupils 'six months behind their peers'
Two thirds of students 'do not pass GCSE resits by 19'
How school leaders maintain a strong brand overseas

Coronavirus: Lockdown could leave disadvantaged pupils 'six months behind their peers'

 

Academics at the University of Exeter and London School of Economics have warned disadvantaged pupils face a "learning loss" of up to six months as a result of school closures. Tes.

Layla Moran, the education spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, has written a letter to education secretary Gavin Williamson asking him to explain "what proactive steps the Government is taking to safeguard vulnerable children, especially those in care, at this time". By Catherine Lough, Tes.

The Association of School and College Leaders has suggested the Government should bring forward pupil premium funding to help schools cope with any rise in the number of students newly-eligible for support. By Dave Speck, Tes. Fifty MPs from the North have written to Gavin Williamson advocating for £300 million of catch-up funding for pupils eligible for free school meals. By Katherine Sellgren and Katherine Smith, BBC News.

Shadow education secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey has said schools should only reopen when it is deemed safe to do so, adding a "proper public health campaign" will be needed to reassure parents their children will not be at risk. By Heather Stewart, The Guardian. Kirsty Williams, Wales' minister for education, writes in Tes outlining five key principles for reopening schools. John Swinney, Scotland's education secretary, has also set out four potential ways schools could reopen. By Emma Seith, Tes. According to a YouGov survey for The Times, just 11 per cent of respondents want schools to be reopened, even if all five safety tests set by the Government have been met. By Francis Elliott.

The Competition and Markets Authority has written a letter reminding independent schools about competition law compliance during the COVID-19 outbreak, warning they "must act independently" when determining fee discounts and refunds. By Charlotte Santry, Tes. The article quotes Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC. Read the ISC's full statement in response.

The Telegraph reports on claims that independent schools may be better equipped to observe social distancing because they "have more space". By Camilla Turner. The article quotes Neil Roskilly, chief executive of the Independent Schools Association. An article in The Times explores the difference in online provision schools are offering during the lockdown. By Nicola Woolcock. The article mentions several schools in membership of the ISC's constituent associations.

The EIS and Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association have called for next year's exams to be cancelled or postponed. By Kieran Andrews, The Times.

John Swinney has announced an independent review of the Scottish education system will be delayed until after next year's Holyrood election. By Simon Johnson, The Telegraph.

Schools Week reports the Oak National Academy, a virtual school backed by the Government, has delivered two million lessons in its first week. By Freddie Whittaker.

Volunteers at Bedford School have helped to open 135,000 birthday cards sent to Captain Tom Moore, the 99-year-old war veteran who raised almost £30 million for the NHS. By Dan Worth, Tes. The article quotes Hugh Maltby, director of the Bedford School Association, and James Hodgson, headmaster of the school.

 

Two thirds of students 'do not pass GCSE resits by 19'

 

New figures released by the Department for Education show just 29 per cent of Year 11 students who did not achieve a grade 4 in GCSE English and/or maths passed by the time they were 19 years old. By Kate Parker, Tes.

 
Tes

How school leaders maintain a strong brand overseas

 

An article in IE Today features the insights of three school leaders on how they maintain their brands while opening up schools overseas. The article quotes George Budd, principal of Moreton Hall, and mentions Lady Eleanor Holles School.

 
IE Today

 

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.