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Coronavirus: Government U-turns on mask wearing in England's secondary schools
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Child welfare
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BBC News reports secondary pupils in areas subject to localised lockdowns will have to wear face masks in school corridors, after the Government reversed its guidance. The Government has also said headteachers in any secondary school will be able to decide whether pupils and staff should wear face coverings. By Sean Coughlan.
Parents' group Us For Them Scotland has responded to the change in policy on face coverings in schools, warning "the door has now been opened for more widespread compulsory wearing of masks among children". By Simon Johnson, The Telegraph.
Dorothy MacGinty, head of Kilgraston School, writes in The Times expressing her concern that mandatory mask wearing in Scotland's schools could lead to "complacency, a sense of invincibility and, quite possibly, to the ultimate impairment of staff".
Hayley McDonnell, a religious studies teacher with type 1 diabetes, writes in The Telegraph outlining her fears about the impact of mask wearing on pupil learning and wellbeing.
An article in The Times lists the rules and safety protocols expected to be implemented in schools when they reopen in September. By Emma Yeomans and Nicola Woolcock.
BBC News reports 250 child and adolescent psychiatrists have signed a letter urging the Government to drop fines for school non-attendance, amid concerns about the impact of a forced return to the classroom on pupils' mental health. By Hannah Richardson.
Robert Halfon, chair of the Commons Education Select Committee, has described the last six months as "a national disaster for education". By Claudia Civinini, Tes.
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GCSEs and A-levels 2020: Ofqual chief steps down following exams controversy
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Examinations
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BBC News reports Sally Collier has stepped down from her role as chief regulator of Ofqual in response to the controversy surrounding the grading of this year's exam results. By Hannah Richardson. An article in Tes shines a spotlight on Dame Glenys Stacey, who is returning to Ofqual as acting chief regulator following Ms Collier's resignation. By William Stewart.
The Telegraph offers advice to students preparing for exam resits in the autumn term. By Jill Foster.
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Disadvantaged pupils '18 months behind their wealthier peers when they reach their GCSEs'
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Teaching and learning
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According to a new report from the Education Policy Institute, the learning gap between poor pupils and their more affluent peers has stopped closing for the first time in 10 years, with the gap set to widen at GCSE level. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.
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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.
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