isc logo  

Daily News Summary
23 December 2021

Coronavirus: COVID infections among five to 11-year-olds three times the general population
Exams: 'GCSE and A-level exams must go ahead despite potential lockdowns'
Debate over proposals for pupils to be allowed to sit GCSEs early
"Robotics, blockchain and entrepreneurship are just some of the subjects that we are seeing a rise in demand for"
More than 495,000 children from deprived backgrounds took part in summer scheme, DfE says
The Daily News Summary will return in 2022

Coronavirus: COVID infections among five to 11-year-olds three times the general population

 

According to a study from researchers at Imperial College London and Ipsos Mori, COVID infection rates among children aged five to 11 are three times those in the general population. By Nick Duffy, iNews.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has recommended that five to 11-year-olds with certain underlying health conditions should be offered the COVID vaccine, although it has not suggested that jabs be offered to the age group more widely because it needs to consider more data. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

Clare Othman, managing director of Supply Desk - a supply teacher agency - has warned that retired teachers offering to ease school staffing issues are unlikely to be in classrooms when schools reopen due to a backlog of potential supply teachers waiting for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. By Hazel Shearing, BBC News.

Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell is to return to teaching following a call for more help in schools hit by COVID-related shortages. Ms Ansell said: "I wanted to help during what will be tough months for our education system in the new year." BBC News.

 

Exams: 'GCSE and A-level exams must go ahead despite potential lockdowns'

 

Clare Wagner, head at Henrietta Barnett - a grammar school in north London - has said that older pupils must be allowed to attend school and sit exams this summer even if there is another lockdown. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.

 
The Times

Debate over proposals for pupils to be allowed to sit GCSEs early

 

Christine Cunniffe, headteacher at LVS Ascot, appeared on GB News yesterday to discuss proposals for pupils to sit GCSE exams early and curriculum reform. Click here to watch the interview, which starts at 37:35.

 

"Robotics, blockchain and entrepreneurship are just some of the subjects that we are seeing a rise in demand for"

 

Independent Education Today takes a closer look at what schools and educators can do to prepare students for careers of the future. By Carl Morris.

 
IE Today

More than 495,000 children from deprived backgrounds took part in summer scheme, DfE says

 

According to official figures from the Department for Education (DfE), almost a third of all children on free school meals in England benefited from government-sponsored activities and free meals over the summer holidays. By Richard Adams, The Guardian.

 
The Guardian

The Daily News Summary will return in 2022

 

The Daily News Summary will be taking a break over the festive period, with today's DNS (23 December) being the last of 2021. Normal service will resume on Tuesday 4 January, 2022.

From everyone at the Independent Schools Council, we would like to thank school leaders, teachers and support staff for their hard work and dedication throughout another difficult year. We wish you all a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

 

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.