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Daily News Summary
4 March 2022

Remove Russian energy firm from school supplier list, says ASCL
Ministers urged to reverse decision to drop NTP target for disadvantaged pupils
Former education secretary receives a knighthood
'Current exam aids are not enough to ensure fairness'
GCSE students are reluctant to study ancient history because they think it is "elitist", study suggests
'The National Theatre is levelling up in action'
Children’s education is being eroded by financial pressures, warns PAC
Government to set 2030 target for maintained schools to become academies

Remove Russian energy firm from school supplier list, says ASCL

 

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has urged the Government to remove the Russian energy supplier Gazprom from a government service that helps schools switch energy suppliers as a "matter of urgency", in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. By Callum Mason, Tes.

 
Tes

Ministers urged to reverse decision to drop NTP target for disadvantaged pupils

 

Seven National Tutoring Programme (NTP) providers have written to ministers warning that the decision to remove the 65 per cent pupil premium target will “only serve to widen the attainment gap”. By Samantha Booth, Schools Week.

 
Tes

Former education secretary receives a knighthood

 

The Government has announced that Gavin Williamson, the former education secretary, has been given a knighthood. The announcement has sparked criticism from opposition MPs and some union leaders who claim he did "an abominable job" on schools policy during the pandemic. By Lucy Fisher, The Telegraph.

 
The Telegraph

'Current exam aids are not enough to ensure fairness'

 

School leaders and teachers have warned that advanced information on exams and 'generous' marking will not be enough to ensure fairness amid evidence that students have experienced varying levels of disruption to their learning over the past two years. By Helen Chapman, Tes.

 
Tes

GCSE students are reluctant to study ancient history because they think it is "elitist", study suggests

 

According to a Cambridge study, the ancient history GCSE is unpopular because pupils think it is "posh" and "elitist". Dr Frances Foster, from the faculty of education at the University of Cambridge, warned "we should be worried that so many of the students who actually get to study it feel so uncomfortable about the idea". By Craig Simpson, The Telegraph.

 
The Telegraph

'The National Theatre is levelling up in action'

 

Writing in The Times, Rachel Sylvester argues the National Theatre’s school tour is “broadening horizons and creating opportunities through the arts”.

 
The Times

Children’s education is being eroded by financial pressures, warns PAC

 

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has warned that children’s education is being eroded by financial pressures triggering staff cuts and scaled-back curriculums, with local authority-run secondary schools among the worst hit. By Sally Weale, The Guardian.

 
The Guardian

Government to set 2030 target for maintained schools to become academies

 

The Government is expected to set an ambition for all state-maintained schools to become academies by 2030, with ministers drawing up plans to incentivise schools to convert. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

 
Schools Week

 

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