Dame Rachel de Souza, the new children's commissioner for England, has said the COVID-19 pandemic "gives us the same chances as the post-war generation had to look at what's going wrong for many children in our country and to put it right". By Will Hazell, iNews.

Speaking at the Association of School and College Leaders' (ASCL) annual conference this afternoon, Kate Green, Labour's shadow education secretary, will say teachers, associations and unions have been treated as "a problem to be confronted rather than an invaluable ally in keeping children safe and learning". By Amy Gibbons, Tes.

James Bowen, director of policy at the National Association of Head Teachers, writes in Tes arguing the pandemic has revealed the need for a "fundamental reset in how the Government treats schools and school leaders".

Teachers and education unions have questioned education secretary Gavin Williamson's claim that behaviour and discipline have "really improved" during the pandemic. By Dave Speck, Tes.

According to a new analysis of UN data, 11.5 million 10-year-olds may be unable to read due to disruption to education caused by the pandemic. By Kaamil Ahmed, The Guardian.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of ASCL, has said some headteachers are concerned that grading guidance from exam boards will not be published until next week, when some schools will have already broken up for the Easter holidays. By Catherine Lough, Tes.

Melanie Phillips writes in The Times arguing the revival of direct grant schools would see more bright pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds take up places at high-performing institutions.

Victoria Lambert writes in The Telegraph arguing toxic 'rape' culture is an issue for all schools and that “a thorough review of how serious the problem is nationwide” is needed in order to properly begin tackling it.

In an email sent to headteachers yesterday, the Department for Education urged headteachers to "urgently review" their cyber defences amid a rise in the number of cyber attacks affecting the education sector. By Amy Gibbons, Tes.

In the ISC's latest 'Spotlight On' blog, Mark Budge - STEAM coordinator at Leighton Park School - reflects on the success of STEAM Interactive 2021, a virtual outreach event designed to engage young pupils in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and maths.

A joint report by the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission has found that progress in closing the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their more affluent peers has "fallen short of the Scottish Government's aims". By Chris Green, iNews.

The Times reports Liverpool John Moores University, Greenwich University and Northampton University will be among the first to launch standalone courses on climate change. By Nicola Woolcock.

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