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King's Birthday Honours 2023
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General education
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Tes reports on some of the people who have been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours list for their contributions to education. Among those receiving honours is Andrew Baker, class teacher at King’s College Junior School and founder of Obera Schools’ Project in Kenya. Mr Baker has been awarded an MBE for services to education and to the community in Obera. By Matilda Martin and John Roberts.
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Independent prep school recruiting first AI head
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Independent sector
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Tom Rogerson, headmaster of Cottesmore School, has begun the search for an artificial intelligence (AI) expert to embed the technology into the curriculum and teach pupils to make robots their "benevolent servants". Speaking to The Telegraph, Mr Rogerson said: “We need to prepare them for a life of using and living with AI and robots which have AI installed in them." The article mentions head of Epsom College Sir Anthony Seldon, who is leading a cross-sector body set up advise and protect schools from the risks of AI, By Louisa Clarence-Smith, The Telegraph.
Schools Week has learned that ministers are looking into how to ensure schools benefit financially from any future use of pupil data by AI systems. Baroness Barran, the minister leading on AI for the Department for Education (DfE), told the paper that ministers were “absolutely thinking about all of these issues”. By Freddie Whittaker.
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'What is a world without free speech?' asks independent head
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Independent sector
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Addressing delegates at a conference at Downe House, head of Alleyn’s School Jane Lunnon spoke of the importance of free speech and her belief that it is something educators must fight for. Mrs Lunnon said: “The one thing I’m worried about — I think surely as educators we all do — is a world where we cannot have free speech. I mean, what is that?" By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.
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Letters: Eton's 'all-round education'
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Letters
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Hasan Ahmed, an A-level student at Eton College, has a letter published in today's Times praising the school for providing an "all-round education to an ever-increasing number of ordinary children, with scores on fully funded bursaries".
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Two further days of teacher strike action planned for July
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Strike action
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The National Education Union (NEU) has announced two more days of national industrial action this term after members voted for further strikes, with teacher members of the union set to strike on Wednesday 5 and Friday 7 July. By Matilda Martin, Tes.
According to The Telegraph, teachers and school leaders have appealed to the NEU to reconsider the strikes planned for next month as the dates clash with planned end-of-term events such as transition days when pupils moving to secondary education visit their new school. By Louisa Clarence-Smith.
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Gender identity in schools
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Gender identity
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Schools are expected to be forced to tell parents if pupils are questioning their gender under new government guidance to be published this week, according to a report in The Sun. It could mean teachers will be required to disclose the information even when students object, as opposed to the current situation in which many schools are making their own decisions. By Nina Lloyd, The Independent.
The Telegraph reports that the Chief Rabbi has advised schools that parents should not be told if their child comes out as trans. Campaigners have claimed this runs contrary to basic safeguarding principles, saying they have been “shocked by this attack on families” by the religious leader. By Hayley Dixon.
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Ofsted: NAHT chief says inspection system is 'flawed' and experts' warnings over accountability impact
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Inspection
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Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), has criticised the one-word summaries used by Ofsted as "simplistic" following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry earlier this year. Ministers have said the one-word summaries "succinctly summarise independent evaluations on the quality of education, safeguarding, and leadership". By Toby Wadey, BBC News.
Writing in Schools Week, education experts Duncan Spalding and Jon Chaloner say the rapid inspectorate framework changes announced last week do not inspire confidence that Ofsted and the Department for Education (DfE) are fully appreciative of the impact accountability is having on headteachers. They argue: "What education needs is a more coherent and purposeful accountability."
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A closer look at the recruitment crisis facing schools in England
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Recruitment and retention
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The Observer explores the teacher shortage facing schools in England amid warnings from heads that some posts have received no applicants at all. The principal of one secondary academy in Essex says: “If you’re looking for a maths, science, computer science or DT [design and technology] teacher, you might as well be advertising for a unicorn.” By Anna Fazackerley.
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Howzat! A closer look at Denstone College’s Cricket Coaching Programme
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ISC blog
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In a blog marking the start of National School Sports Week, Paul Borrington, director of cricket at Denstone College, and the school’s cricket coach, Wes Durston, explain the origins of their Howzat! Cricket Coaching Programme, which is providing sessions and hosting festivals in the local community.
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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.
Sign-up to the email service is available on our website.
Members can contact the ISC if they know in advance of news, letters or opinions that are likely to feature in the media, or are aware of existing coverage which they would like to see featured in the DNS.
Headlines and first-line summaries are written by the ISC with the link directing to the source material. You should read and comply with the terms and conditions of the websites to which we link.
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