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Daily News Summary
27 March 2020

Coronavirus: Ofqual to set out exams plan "next week"
Unauthorised school absences reach 'record high'
'Four ways schools can support pupils with parents in prison'
'Standardised teacher job interviews have lost the human touch'
Friday Feature: How schools are coming together to support their wider communities

Coronavirus: Ofqual to set out exams plan "next week"

 

Ofqual has announced it plans to publish detailed information about this year's exam arrangements "next week". By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week. The Scottish Parliament's Education and Skills Committee has written to the Scottish Qualifications Authority seeking clarification about the alternative course of action now that exams have been cancelled. By Henry Hepburn, Tes. John Kleeman, founder and executive director of enterprise-grade assessment platform Questionmark, writes in The Telegraph arguing children still need to be tested regularly to give them "the best chance of retaining knowledge and to continue to develop".

The Huffington Post reports on the work schools are doing to produce vital protective equipment for frontline NHS staff. The article quotes Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC, and staff members from Sevenoaks School, Trent College, and King's College, Taunton.

An article in the Financial Times offers advice to independent school parents on fees amid widespread school closures. By Lindsay Cook and Lucy Warwick-Ching. The article quotes Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC, and Neil Roskilly, chief executive of the Independent Schools Association. The Telegraph explores the impact of nursery closures and whether parents should be expected to continue to pay their fees. By Madeleine Howell. Mr Roskilly, along with several other proprietors of the country's largest private education groups, writes in The Times arguing independent schools "are doing everything possible to support parents financially during the present crisis". The letter can be found a third of the way down the page.

Andy Leask, an English teacher at St George's School for Girls in Edinburgh, shares his tips for distance learning. Tes. Education charity Teach First has called on tech companies and internet providers to widen access to online learning for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

iNews reports some supply teachers could lose their homes after being let go by their headteachers. By Will Hazell.

Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, has said overstaffing in schools in putting the health of teachers at risk unnecessarily. By Amy Gibbons, Tes. The Association of School and College Leaders is seeking public health advice on whether it is safe to teach children in hub schools. By Dave Speck, Tes.

The Independent reports vulnerable young people are at risk of developing mental health problems while schools are closed, as Childline reports a "huge spike" in coronavirus-related counselling sessions. By Eleanor Busby.

New research outlines how teachers can help combat 'inadvertent racism' caused by misinformation about the coronavirus spread across social media. By Catherine Lough, Tes.

 

Unauthorised school absences reach 'record high'

 

Figures show the number of children missing school for term-time holidays is at a record high, with 333,400 fines issued to parents last year. By Rosemary Bennett, The Times.

 
The Times

'Four ways schools can support pupils with parents in prison'

 

Helen Hazell, head of psychology at Talbot Heath School, offers advice to schools on how they can implement strategies to support children who have a parent in prison. Tes.

 
Tes

'Standardised teacher job interviews have lost the human touch'

 

Mark Steed, principal and chief executive of Kellett School, the British School in Hong Kong, writes in Tes arguing job interviews for teaching roles should inspire and challenge applicants and allow them to "explore questions, concerns and interests more deeply".

 
Tes

Friday Feature: How schools are coming together to support their wider communities

 

As part of a new weekly blog series, the ISC highlights some of the great work schools are doing with their local communities to help the UK's fightback against coronavirus.

 
ISC

 

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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