School fees announced by independent schools to date are rising, on average, by 7.1 per cent for day pupils and 8 per cent for boarders, analysis by The Telegraph has found. Responding to the findings, ISC's chief executive Julie Robinson said: “The current average fee rise for next year remains under the rate of inflation, as schools continue to work to cut costs and remain affordable for parents.” Commenting on the financial pressures facing schools, Simon Hyde, general secretary of HMC (The Heads’ Conference), said: "Schools are not immune to current inflationary pressures including higher energy costs, rising food prices, increasing salaries, pension contributions and many other spiralling costs. Stephen Lehec, headteacher of Kingston Grammar School, also spoke of the uncertainty around Labour's proposed tax plans. The Telegraph also mentions research by the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which found that a fifth of parents would have to withdraw their child if VAT was added to fees. By Louisa Clarence-Smith and Ben Butcher.

The head of the education regulator Ofsted has defended the way school inspections are carried out in England, following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in January. Amanda Spielman acknowledged there is a "culture of fear" within schools regarding inspections but confirmed that the one-word grading system will remain. By Richard Adams, The Guardian.

In her first interview since the death of Ms Perry, Ms Spielman told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme she had no reason to doubt the report into the school where Ms Perry was headteacher and that she believes findings of the inspection, which took place last year, were "secure". By Jemma Crew & Laura Kuenssberg, BBC News.

Welsh-based writer, teacher and community project manager Lauren Crosby Medlicott speaks to a number of teachers about the impact of Ofsted inspections on school staff and pupils. The Independent.

Writing in Tes, multi-academy trust CEO Tom Campbell argues that "Ofsted cannot afford to stick its fingers in its ears for any longer - it needs to front up to its responsibility and work with us to fix this broken approach."

In a letter published in The Telegraph, former independent school headteacher Dr Christopher Ray asks why the DfE and Ofsted "appear to support one mode of reporting for independent schools and quite a different one for state-maintained schools". The letter can be found halfway down the page.

According to The Telegraph, education secretary Gillian Keegan has turned down a request from the National Education Union (NEU) to negotiate ahead of planned industrial action. Ministers have no plans to resume pay talks ahead of the strikes due to take place in schools across England this Thursday, despite Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, yesterday urging the government to negotiate and end the pay dispute. By Louisa Clarence-Smith.

Teachers in England have warned that children could be put at risk of harm if ministers proceed with new guidance compelling schools to inform parents if their child is questioning their gender. Union leaders have accused the government of trying to ignite a culture war around gender issues in schools to distract from the dispute over pay. By Anna Fazackerley, The Observer.

The Welsh government has said national guidance for schools in Wales on how to support transgender pupils is going to be published during the next academic year. By Bethan Lewis, BBC News.

A BBC investigation has found about one third of the £594 million set aside for tutoring to help children catch up after pandemic lockdowns has gone unspent. The government's National Tutoring Programme (NTP) offers one-to-one or group lessons outside of school hours, but schools must top up any government money from their own budgets, something some teachers say they cannot afford. By Alix Hattenstone & Jonathan Fagg.

Evidence presented to ministers on the Commons Education Select Committee claims parents are more cautious about sending their children to school with minor illnesses as a result of public health messaging during the pandemic. According to councils in England, increased anxiety and lack of mental health support are also driving a steep increase in pupils missing school, with some children “struggling to leave home”. By Richard Adams and Carmen Aguilar García, The Guardian.

Technology company Real Fast Reports has said thousands of teachers are paying for artificial intelligence (AI) computer software similar to ChatGPT to produce end-of-year reports. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.

In a survey of 400 students at Cambridge University, 47 per cent said they had used chatbots such as ChatGPT to help with work for their degree, with some even breaking university rules by employing it for coursework and online examinations. By Laurence Sleator and Michael Hennessey, The Times.

The Sunday Times takes a closer look at the development of AI in education study tools and textbooks. By Danny Fortson.

The Times reports on the inner-city primary schools facing closure or being forced to merge as they collectively lose hundreds of millions of pounds from budgets owing to falling pupil numbers. London boroughs are among the worst affected but other cities such as Manchester, Bristol and Leeds are also seeing closures to primary schools. By Nicola Woolcock, Anna Lombardi and Emma Taggart.

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