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Daily News Summary
6 March 2023

Bank of England Museum reserves educational presentations 'for state pupils only'
Strikes in Scotland suspended amid 12% pay offer
AI guidance being prepared for summer assessments
Home secretary to issue blasphemy guidance for schools
Government considering 'urgent review' of RSE lessons
Social media executives to face prison for failing to give data to bereaved parents
School toilet rules prompt copycat social media protests
International schools exploring new markets

Bank of England Museum reserves educational presentations 'for state pupils only'

 

The Bank of England Museum has been criticised for its policy regarding presentations and group talks, which it says are reserved for state-educated pupils only. Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), has urged the bank to change its "absolutely extraordinary" policy. Mr Lenon said: “These days, everyone believes in diversity and inclusion. You cannot take a sub-group and, based on whether they went to an independent school, simply prevent them from access.” By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

 
The Telegraph

Strikes in Scotland suspended amid 12% pay offer

 

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union has suspended its strike action and is to ballot members, urging them to accept a revised pay offer of 12 per cent from the Scottish Government and local authority employers. The Guardian.

Queen Mary University of London has become the first in the country to use a “student snitch form” to encourage students to report striking staff, while threatening to cut earnings for 39 days if those named fail to reschedule teaching they have missed. By Anna Fazackerley, The Observer.

The National Education Union (NEU) has warned of further strike action by its members this summer. Tes considers how likely such action will be and who could be affected.

 

AI guidance being prepared for summer assessments

 

Ministers are reportedly in talks with test-setters to determine whether GCSE and A-level students will be allowed to use artificial intelligence (AI) platforms in their coursework this summer, amid fears new chatbots such as ChatGPT could be used to write essays. The UK’s biggest qualifications group, Pearson, is among those calling for ministers to clarify Britain’s approach to AI. By James Warrington, The Telegraph.

 
The Telegraph

Home secretary to issue blasphemy guidance for schools

 

Suella Braverman, the home secretary, will work with the Department for Education (DfE) to produce guidance for schools over blasphemy, outlining children's protection from punishment over actions perceived to be blasphemous. This comes after a pupil in West Yorkshire reportedly received death threats last month for scuffing a copy of the Quran. By Poppy Wood, iNews.

Writing in The Times on the issue of blasphemy, Ms Braverman refers to the "absolute" freedom of speech in the UK. She says: "The right approach is to defend our pluralist, free society very robustly indeed."

 

Government considering 'urgent review' of RSE lessons

 

According to The Telegraph, the prime minister is considering launching an urgent review of “age-inappropriate” sex education materials in schools. Rishi Sunak has reportedly informed a number of colleagues that he is concerned about the content of relationship and sex education (RSE) lessons taught across the country. By Louisa Clarence-Smith, The Telegraph.

Ministers are reporting receiving an increasing volume of messages from concerned parents seeking guidance over what their children are learning in school RSE classes. Conservative MP Miriam Cates presented Mr Sunak with a dossier of evidence on the “nature and extent of indoctrination” in RSE in UK classrooms last week and is among those MPs calling for an urgent review. By Louisa Clarence-Smith, The Telegraph.

 

Social media executives to face prison for failing to give data to bereaved parents

 

New legislation being considered by Michelle Donelan, the technology secretary, will see social media bosses facing up to a year in prison if they refuse to provide bereaved parents with data explaining why their child died. By Charles Hymas, The Telegraph.

Organisations including the NSPCC and the Molly Rose Foundation are calling for TikTok to strengthen its content moderation policies regarding suicide and eating disorder material. By Dan Milmo, The Guardian.

 

School toilet rules prompt copycat social media protests

 

Dozens of protests at schools across the country have taken place in the last two weeks, with some pupils and parents blaming “inhumane” toilet rules and some headteachers attributing the unrest to social media. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.

 
The Times

International schools exploring new markets

 

UK institutions are leading the way in switching their focus to new education markets in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, which they reportedly view as stable streams of revenue outside China. Commenting on the new campus being opened by Wellington College in Pune, near Mumbai, Murray Tod, the campus' master, said Wellington was attracted by India’s “dynamic” economy. Several other schools in membership of the Independent Schools Council's (ISC) constituent associations are also referenced. By Bethan Staton, Financial Times.

 
Financial Times

 

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