Writing in Schools Week, Andrea Squires warns that the 'rapid progression' of the new Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, which is now at the committee stage in the House of Commons, is making it more challenging for schools preparing for industrial action. She says: "Given the strength of feeling on this issue across all sectors, it seems likely that there will be some challenge when the draft regulations are consulted on, assuming the legislation clears the House of Lords." Andrea Squires is partner and head of the education team at Winckworth Sherwood LLP.

Officials at Glasgow city council, Scotland’s biggest local authority, have warned that frontline services face deeper cuts because of the first minister’s decision to 'protect the teaching workforce'. By Mark McLaughlin, The Times.

Thousands of pupils in Wales are being told to stay at home next Wednesday as many schools face closure due to planned industrial action by the National Education Union (NEU). By Bethan Lewis, BBC News.

In the latest ISC blog, ISC chairman Barnaby Lenon challenges claims that independent schools are succumbing to 'wokery' and discusses the realities of teaching and learning within the sector.

In a sample extract from the second edition of The State of Independence (published in Tes), Sam Freedman offers his view on the cost of independent education in the UK. Himself a parent of state-educated children, Mr Freedman argues that there are "now far higher levels of elite establishment satisfaction with the state sector, as people tend to quite like their children’s schools". Sam Freedman is a senior fellow at the Institute of Government and a former senior policy adviser at the Department for Education.

Research by Durham University and the Department for Education (DfE) suggests that being taught well in reception year means a child is likely to earn more in later life. It is the latest study to shine a light on how early years education can improve life outcomes. By Louisa Clarence-Smith, The Telegraph.

According to the findings of a survey carried out by YouGov for Kindred2, an early years charity, teachers report that nearly half of children starting school are unable to eat independently, use the toilet or communicate clearly. In contrast, a separate poll of almost 1,000 parents of children who started reception in 2022 found that almost nine in 10 believe their children are ready to start school. Tes.

A study by Cambridge University has revealed that the tax on sugary drinks introduced in 2018 could have prevented more than 5,000 girls aged 10 and 11 from becoming obese each year, although there is no evidence of it reducing obesity among boys of the same age. The research suggests that the obesity rate among Year 6 girls was about eight per cent lower after the tax was imposed than would otherwise have been expected. By Rhys Blaklely, The Times.

According to a report by The Sutton Trust, nearly one in four students have said they are less likely to finish their degree as a result of the cost of living crisis, with 63 per cent of students spending less on food and essentials this academic year due to financial pressures. By Eleanor Busby, The Independent.

The Times reports that the Government is considering ways to encourage British and overseas students to take more part-time jobs in an attempt to address the shortages in areas such as hospitality and retail. By Chris Smyth and Matt Dathan.

Figures published by the Home Office show that schoolboys make up the biggest share of those deemed by the Government’s counter-terrorism programme to be 'most at risk of radicalisation'. The education sector made 2,305 referrals to the Prevent programme, the highest proportion received from the sector since the figures started to be collected. By Matt Dathan, The Times.

In a feature for The Telegraph, Peter Stanford argues "Britain does not have a great record" on encouraging those of “high learning ability” and speaks to a number of education experts from the state and independent sectors for their views. Julie Taplin, a charity director, warns that "education provision too often proves a huge obstacle for both children with high learning potential and their parents". Additional reporting by Abigail Buchanan.

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