Writing in iNews, freelance journalist and marketing consultant Diana Young discusses the benefits that independent schools offer black and ethnic minority pupils and warns that the Labour Party’s plans to add tax to school fees "will rob black children like mine of a good education". Ms Young cites research by the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which indicates that a fifth of pupils at independent schools could be withdrawn by parents unable to pay VAT imposed on fees, and argues "the Labour Party’s failure to abandon the issue suggests it thinks it has the right to hinder access to educational choice".

Prime minister Rishi Sunak has admitted that the country does not have enough maths teachers to implement his plan for all children to study the subject until the age of 18. Mr Sunak said he has been disappointed that the unions have rejected the government's latest pay deal but there are still “significant” financial incentives to encourage individuals to teach maths. By Chris Smyth, The Times.

The prime minister's maths review panel has been revealed and will comprise of eight experts including mathematicians, education leaders and business representatives. The full list of individuals can be viewed at the end of the item in Schools Week. An article with detailed information about the maths review is also featured in the paper. Both items are written by Amy Walker.

Ed Balls, the former shadow chancellor and Treasury minister, has decided to take A-level maths for the first time after he regretted not studying the subject after the age of 16. By Dominic Penna, The Telegraph.

New government guidelines, set to be issued within weeks, are expected to say that single-sex schools will not be forced to accommodate transgender pupils. Headteachers of girls’ schools will be told they can turn down pupils who are legally male but identify as female, without fear of legal action, while the same rules will apply for boys’ schools receiving applications from girls identifying as male. By Louisa Clarence-Smith and Daniel Martin, The Telegraph.

Education secretary Gillian Keegan has said teachers who say "good morning, girls" to pupils inside girls' schools are "absolutely fine" to do so. Ms Keegan has also called for a "big dose of common sense" when handling issues of sensitivity and gender identity in schools. By Jamie Bullen, The Telegraph.

Union leaders are calling for clarity over the government’s position on teacher strikes after prime minister Rishi Sunak said his “door is always open”, but the education secretary, Gillian Keegan, rejected calls for fresh pay talks. All four unions representing teachers and leaders have turned down an offer of a £1,000 one-off payment this year and 4.3 per cent rise for most teachers in 2023-24. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

The Department for Education (DfE) has advised schools to offer catch-up lessons or extra revision sessions for exam students, notably vulnerable students, amid strike action this coming term. The advice is set out in updated guidance published after the National Education Union (NEU) announced two further dates of industrial action. By Matilda Martin, Tes.

Gillian Keegan has supported Ofsted’s “one-word assessments” despite calls from teachers for the system to be abolished, with the education secretary saying the ratings, which range from “outstanding” to “inadequate”, are “clear” and “easy for parents to navigate”. By Nina Lloyd, The Independent.

An anonymous independent school head writes in Independent School Management Plus on the issue of inspections, saying "our fixation on inspections is one that undoubtedly creates a distraction within schools". The writer says the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is seen by some as "less exacting in its assessment of schools", and argues that this is "surely a much more positive approach".

Figures collated by London Councils suggest more children in London are being offered their top choice of primary school amid a fall in demand for places across the capital. The cross-party organisation, representing London's 32 borough councils and the City of London, said that families are leaving the city in part because of changes to working patterns. By Yasmin Rufo, BBC News.

The Telegraph reports that the number of children seeking a primary school place in London has declined by 15 per cent since 2014, with the birth rate also falling. Outside the capital, just 23 of 114 education authorities have seen faster declines in primary applications between 2014 and 2022, including Brighton, Dorset, Nottingham, York, Blackpool, Reading, Coventry and Bradford. By Louisa Clarence-Smith and Ben Butcher.

Labour leader Keir Starmer is under pressure to extend free school meals to every child in England if the party wins the next general election, since the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced free school meals for all primary pupils across the capital for a year from September. By Pippa Crerar, The Guardian.

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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