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Daily News Summary
18 July 2022

Schools prepare for record-breaking heatwave
'Labour's independent school policy would be a disaster for education'
Researchers question public benefit of independent schools
Poorer pupils have fallen "significantly" behind their peers, study finds
'We’re letting down a generation of children if we do not properly invest in education'
AQA apologises to markers for "unanticipated delays” to payments
Primary school pupils to be graded in art as they are in music as part of a UAL pilot scheme
'The narrative of a free speech crisis caused by oversensitive students is at odds with the evidence'

Schools prepare for record-breaking heatwave

 

iNews takes a closer look at how schools across the country are reacting to the heatwave this week where temperatures are predicted to reach 40°C. By Serina Sandhu.

 
iNews

'Labour's independent school policy would be a disaster for education'

 

Columnist Michael Deacon writes in The Telegraph suggesting that Labour's plan to add VAT to independent school fees would force more pupils into the state sector and would be “a disaster for the poorest in society”. Mr Deacon argues: "State schools are over-stretched as it is. Classes are full to bursting. Budgets are at breaking point. So this abrupt influx of new pupils will leave state schools in even worse shape than they’re in already."

 
The Telegraph

Researchers question public benefit of independent schools

 

Research carried out by Malcolm James, Jane Kenway and Rebecca Boden focuses on how independent schools acquire, sustain and use their wealth. The Independent.

 
The Independent

Poorer pupils have fallen "significantly" behind their peers, study finds

 

According to a study by the Education Policy Institute, poorer pupils in England and Wales are “significantly” behind their peers, with the disadvantage gap in England found to be equal to about 23 months of learning, while in Wales it was 29 months. The Guardian.

 
The Guardian

'We’re letting down a generation of children if we do not properly invest in education'

 

The former education recovery commissioner, Sir Kevan Collins, has claimed the Government is ‘sticking its head in the sand’ over key issues impacting education, adding: “I’m incredibly disappointed – and there is an anger – because our children and our schools deserve more." By Sally Weale, The Guardian.

 
The Guardian

AQA apologises to markers for "unanticipated delays” to payments

 

Exam board AQA has written to GCSE and A-level markers to apologise for “unanticipated delays” to payments due to “technical defects” in the board’s payments system. By Callum Mason, Tes.

 
Tes

Primary school pupils to be graded in art as they are in music as part of a UAL pilot scheme

 

The University of the Arts London (UAL) is launching a pilot scheme where primary schoolchildren will be graded in art as they are in music. UAL said: "The key driver behind this project is to fill a gap created by the reduction of time and investment in art, design and creative learning in schools and to provide a valuable way for children to develop their creative skills outside the classroom.” By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.

 
The Times

'The narrative of a free speech crisis caused by oversensitive students is at odds with the evidence'

 

The University and College Union has claimed that reports of a free speech crisis at English universities is “at odds with evidence”, adding that 19,407 events with external speakers took place across English universities and colleges across 2020-2021, and only 193 were barred from taking place. By Zoe Tidman, The Independent.

 
The Independent

 

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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