isc logo  

Daily News Summary
8 July 2020

Coronavirus: Heads call for exams to be cut back next year 'to prevent a mental health crisis'
'Disappointed' IB students sign petition for refunds and free remarks
ISC blog: 'Our post-pandemic curriculum should be couched in kindness, culture and values'
Ofqual report reveals security breaches relating to last year's exam papers
Academics outline proposals to boost language learning in the UK
Businessman launches fundraising campaign for disadvantaged teenagers

Coronavirus: Heads call for exams to be cut back next year 'to prevent a mental health crisis'

 

The Guardian reports thousands of headteachers across England are calling for fewer exams and a reduction in curriculum content next year to allow teachers to focus on student wellbeing. By Sally Weale.

According to a survey of 13,500 parents, 26 per cent of respondents do not intend to send their children back to school in September. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times. An article in The Telegraph features insights from some parents who plan to home-school their children this autumn. By Katie Russell.

BBC News reports the campaign group Sept for Schools is urging the Government to provide "a clear, comprehensive and workable plan to make sure our children return safely to school in September". The group has warned home learning during the pandemic is taking a toll on many parents and children. By Katherine Sellgren.

The latest attendance figures from the Department for Education show the number of pupils back in school is continuing to rise, though the proportion of settings reopening to key year groups has remained roughly the same since 22 June. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

Schools Week reports Pearson is considering redeploying its examiners as tutors to support the Government's catch-up operation. By Samantha Booth.

Christian Wakeford, Conservative MP for Bury South, has called for an investigation into why some children have completed "barely any school work" during lockdown. Tes.

Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland, has warned thousands of recently qualified teachers in Scotland are struggling to find permanent or secure posts due to the coronavirus. By Emma Seith, Tes.

 

'Disappointed' IB students sign petition for refunds and free remarks

 

Tes reports hundreds of International Baccalaureate (IB) students are calling for refunds and remarks after receiving grades lower than expected. By Catherine Lough.

 
Tes

ISC blog: 'Our post-pandemic curriculum should be couched in kindness, culture and values'

 

David Preston, head of Arnold Lodge School, argues pupil wellbeing should be prioritised over 'academic recovery' when schools reopen in September.

 
ISC

Ofqual report reveals security breaches relating to last year's exam papers

 

According to Ofqual's latest annual report, there were 68 security breaches involving GCSE and A-level papers last year, along with 71 errors in assessment materials and exams. By Catherine Lough, Tes.

 
Tes

Academics outline proposals to boost language learning in the UK

 

The Times reports headteachers and academics have launched a campaign to encourage more young people to take up language learning, warning the nation's 'poor' foreign language skills are detrimental to the economy. By Rosemary Bennett.

 
The Times

Businessman launches fundraising campaign for disadvantaged teenagers

 

Ric Lewis, founder of the Black Heart Foundation, has launched a £1 million fundraising campaign to support 100 disadvantaged teenagers with their education. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.

 
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.