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Daily News Summary
20 October 2022

IICSA publishes final report
Schools Bill 'will not continue but some policies may return'
The Times legal section: Charitable status and social mobility within law firms
Ofcom urged to introduce social media safety rating scale
Calls for education secretary to address 'burnout' in teaching profession
Cambridge professor warns "history is not a form of therapy"
Ofsted needs reform, former senior inspectors say
Careers education 'connects students to their futures'

IICSA publishes final report

 

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has published its final report today, following seven years of investigations, hearings, evidence gathering and interim publications. The report details a series of 20 recommendations which include making the failure to report child abuse a criminal offence under a new law. By Gabriella Swerling, The Telegraph.

Read the Independent Schools Council's (ISC) statement in response.

 

Schools Bill 'will not continue but some policies may return'

 

According to Schools Week, the Schools Bill is set to be abandoned but some policies may be brought back in the next Parliamentary session as smaller pieces of legislation. By Freddie Whittaker.

 
Schools Week

The Times legal section: Charitable status and social mobility within law firms

 

The Times reports the subject of charity law is set to 'take centre stage' in the run-up to the next general election, with the Labour Party pledging to remove independent schools' charitable status. The Conservative Party reportedly intends to defend independent schools, with Jonathan Gullis, the education minister, recently saying Labour's proposal was his “biggest fear of all”. The article mentions the Independent Schools Council (ISC).

The article also reports on the findings of a report by the Social Mobility Foundation, due to be published next month, which suggest that social mobility at City law firms is 'slipping backwards' despite social advancement programmes and recruitment initiatives. By Robert Verkaik.

The item on charitable status is second on the page.

 
The Times

Ofcom urged to introduce social media safety rating scale

 

The Fixing Neverland report by Crest Advisory, a criminal justice consultancy, has recommended that Ofcom introduces a safety rating scale for social media sites. This could prevent children viewing harmful content and enable parents and carers to decide whether their child should access a particular social network. By David Woode, The Times.

 
The Times

Calls for education secretary to address 'burnout' in teaching profession

 

The Chartered College of Teaching (CCT) and Education Support, a teaching support charity, have called on the education secretary to address the "persistent state of stress and burnout" among teachers. In a joint letter, the organisations warned Kit Malthouse of the "inevitable impact" such stress could have on teacher retention and the educational attainment of children. By Matilda Martin, Tes.

 
Tes

Cambridge professor warns "history is not a form of therapy"

 

Professor Robert Tombs, a fellow of St John’s College, Cambridge, has said schools should not try to please activists by turning history lessons into “nice, comforting stories”. Professor Tombs was addressing a working group advising ministers on non-statutory guidance to support a model history curriculum for schools in 2024. By Louisa Clarence-Smith, The Telegraph.

Black history should be taught in schools all year round, according to children's author and former children's laureate Malorie Blackman, who has said history lessons should tell "the whole truth" of the British Empire. At present, schools in England are not required to teach any black history. By Adina Campbell, BBC News.

 

Ofsted needs reform, former senior inspectors say

 

A group of former senior Ofsted inspectors have called for the regulatory body to be reformed in order to focus on safeguarding checks and carry out fewer full inspections of schools. By John Roberts, Tes.

 
Tes

Careers education 'connects students to their futures'

 

Writing in Tes, Robert Halfon, Conservative MP for Harlow and chair of the Commons Education Select Committee, and Oli de Botton, CEO of the Careers Enterprise Company, discuss how devoting time to career skills can help children prepare for the working world.

 
Tes

 

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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