In a letter to education secretary Gavin Williamson, Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC, has said independent schools "will willingly support extra tuition provision in whatever practical ways they can" over the summer, from providing additional staff to opening up school buildings and grounds. Sky News. The article quotes Jo Anderson, principal at Bury Grammar School.
The Government has announced it will continue to provide eligible families with free school meal vouchers throughout the summer holidays, following a campaign by Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford. BBC News. First minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed pupils in Scotland will continue to receive free school meals over the summer break. By Kieran Andrews, The Times.
Prime minister Boris Johnson has urged parents to send their eligible children back to school, saying "there is no need for your kids to miss out on their education". By Bradley Jolly, The Mirror.
An article in Tes reports some primary school headteachers are experiencing capacity issues due to an increase in demand from key worker families. By Amy Gibbons.
Russell Hobby, chief executive of Teach First, has confirmed it will be cutting its cohort by 120 due to schools "reducing or withdrawing vacancies" during the pandemic. By Amy Gibbons, Tes.
The Times reports David Wolfson, a lawyer and school governor, has called on Ofsted inspectors to "get back to work" to help schools develop best practice amid the coronavirus disruption. Alan Milburn, the chairman of the Social Mobility Foundation, has separately urged schools to "intensify their summer programmes" to help address the "educational emergency" caused by the pandemic. By Nicola Woolcock.
Sir Michael Wilshaw, a former Ofsted chief inspector, has suggested "good schools" will ask their teachers to work over evenings, weekends and half-terms to help children catch up on their education. By Charlotte Santry, Tes.
Education secretary John Swinney has said Scotland's schools' inspectorate will review reopening plans designed to maximise the number of students receiving face-to-face schooling in August. BBC News. John Edward, director of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools, featured on BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme yesterday, where he discussed how independent schools in Scotland are navigating plans to reopen to more pupils. The discussion begins at 20:00.
The Telegraph reports some independent schools may reopen in September with their own safety measures in place after a government document submitted to the High Court acknowledged it was a "request, not a direction" for schools to close. By Camilla Turner and Christopher Hope. The article quotes Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the ISC.
The Times reports on findings from an Oxford University study, which suggest primary school age children are struggling with behavioural problems and are lacking focus during lockdown. By Nicola Woolcock. Line Caes, a psychologist at the University of Stirling, has called for children to be allowed to have playdates over the summer, adding the duration of lockdown "is starting to impact children quite a bit". By Daniel Sanderson, The Telegraph. A separate article in The Telegraph reports neuroscientists have warned a lack of face-to-face contact during the pandemic could have a long-lasting impact on young people's mental health. By Lucy Dunn.
Schools Week reports just under half of the 230,000 free laptops pledged by the Government have been distributed to local authorities and academy trusts since April. By James Carr.
Qais Hussain, a GCSE student, writes in iNews expressing concern over the accuracy of this year's grading system. The Telegraph features the lockdown experiences of two A-level students learning from home. By Xavi Cleverley and Jake Park.
