Almost 20,000 teachers have reportedly switched to membership of the National Education Union (NEU) so they can take part in the strike action planned to start next week, bringing the number of public sector workers set to walk out on 1 February to more than half a million. The NEU has welcomed the influx of teachers from other unions and issued guidance last week on how they could sign up. By Poppy Wood, iNews.

The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) has announced that its members will join two days of nationwide strikes in Scotland on 28 February and 1 March. The announcement came after another meeting of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) failed to result in a new pay offer being made last Friday. By Henry Hepburn, Tes.

Des Morris, the salaries convener at the EIS, Scotland’s largest teaching union, has claimed that the Scottish Government and councils “have little or no interest” in finding the funding required to end a pay dispute, as a wave of industrial action is underway and more strikes are planned. First minister Nicola Sturgeon has previously said there is a “gap” between what the unions are asking for and what is affordable. By Craig Paton, The Independent.

In the latest ISC blog, Sue Riley, CEO of the School Partnerships Alliance, explains how the organisation's new report lays the groundwork for meaningful cross-sector partnership work.

In an essay for the new edition of 'The State of Independence', Ben Thomas, head of Thomas’s Battersea, writes that prep schools have become "increasingly reliant on highly affluent, highly focused parents who expect results”, and argues the curriculum “is in danger of being reduced to preparation for competitive entrance examinations in English and maths” as a result. By Louisa Clarence-Smith, The Telegraph.

The Times features an article from an anonymous parent following Katharine Birbalsingh's essay in The State of Independence, in which she said the independent sector is 'in thrall to ideology'. The writer argues that "an emphasis on woke issues is not the preserve of private schools", adding: "My guess would be that when it comes down to it, what parents who go private care about more are academic results, facilities and playing fields."

Non-statutory guidance on remote education that has been updated by the Department for Education (DfE) says remote education can be used for children missing school with infectious illnesses and to 'reintegrate' some absent pupils back into school. The advice comes ahead of the planned strikes starting next month. By Amy Walker, Schools Week.

Writing in Tes, Robin Walker explores the 'worrying rise' in pupil absence and why 'drastic action' is needed in this area as the Education Select Committee begins its inquiry into the issue. Considering options available to resolve the problem, he says: "Together we will study whether providing breakfast clubs, free meals, after-school or holiday activities and other measures can help reverse this damaging trend." Robin Walker is chair of the Education Select Committee and former minister for school standards.

Campaigners from organisations including Bayswater, a support group for parents of trans-identified children and young people, have warned that 'schools are preventing parents from seeing sex education materials' after the Government 'failed to fulfil a pledge to make the curriculum more transparent'. The Telegraph reports that some Conservative ministers and peers have urged the Department for Education (DfE) to intervene, warning that children are being exposed to “adult sexuality and adult ideology” that is “doing them harm”. By Louisa Clarence-Smith.

Officials from NHS England are fearful that efforts to tackle cervical cancer could be affected by a fall in the number of teenagers being vaccinated during the pandemic. Pupils aged 12 to 13 are offered vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes 99 per cent of cervical cancer cases in Britain. By Kat Lay, The Times.

Mike Sharples, emeritus professor of educational technology at The Open University, has told The Telegraph that anecdotal evidence suggests students at British universities are already using ChatGPT to write essays and complete assignments. Professor Sharples' comments come as universities are understood to be considering banning the use of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform. By Joe Pinkstone.

The Daily News Summary (DNS) will be taking a short pause to accommodate staff training and normal service will resume on Friday. We thank you in advance for your understanding.

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