State schools are not prepared for the “influx” of pupils that would result from the Labour Party's plans to impose VAT on school fees, government sources have warned. Officials from the Department for Education have accused the party of “blindly ignoring” the consequences of its proposed tax policy. By Dominic Penna, The Telegraph. 

Financial advisers have warned that independent schools are increasing fees by up to eight per cent ahead of a potential Labour government, with some grandparents using pensions and life savings to try to pay for fees in advance. A poll by The Times of 12 independent schools that have already announced their fees for September found the annual increase ranged from 3.8 per cent to eight per cent, with an average rise of 5.5 per cent. Master of Magdalen College School Helen Pike and head of Rugby School Gareth Parker-Jones are quoted. Mr Parker-Jones said: "I love the independence and diversity [of the independent sector] and worry about smaller schools operating on very tight budgets, that are an integral part of their community and major employers. [Labour's plans] will put more pressure on the maintained sector." The parent of a child at a London prep school has also shared his concerns over Labour's tax plans. Several schools in membership of the ISC's constituent associations are mentioned. By Nicola Woolcock.

Independent School Management Plus reports that the National Education Union has launched a national campaign to improve pay and conditions for support staff working in independent schools. Depending on how successful it is, the move could mean headteachers come under more pressure to recognise trade unions, with the potential for more disputes and strikes.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak is under pressure to water down plans to crack down on smartphone and social media use by children following a backlash from senior telecoms executives. Technology companies have criticised plans that would prevent under-16s from buying smartphones, which they claim are “not practical or logical in any way”. The article is accompanied by a table illustrating the proportion of users for each device by age. The Telegraph. 

The Telegraph also reports on growing support among parents for a ban on smartphone sales for under-16s. Both articles are by Matthew Field and James Warrington.

Education secretary Gillian Keegan is to scrap the 50 per cent cap on faith schools, ending a policy that requires institutions to keep half their places open for children of different religions. The move, which will aim to allow faith schools to expand and create more "high-quality" places for children, is expected to be announced this week. By Camilla Turner, The Sunday Telegraph.

According to new research by Unison, hundreds of thousands of children in England and Wales are being educated by low-paid teaching assistants (TAs) covering lessons for teachers who are off sick or have left the profession. Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities are among the worst-affected by the crisis, according to the union's research. By Sally Weale, The Guardian.

A survey of 400 school leaders in England by the National Association of Head Teachers has revealed that one in six schools can no longer afford to employ a caretaker, while nearly half of schools that are able to have had to reduce their caretakers' hours. By Richard Adams, The Guardian.

The latest NHS England data has shown that more than 360,000 MMR vaccines were administered in the 12 weeks to 24 March 2024, a 23 per cent rise from last year. A national campaign to encourage uptake was launched in January amid concern over measles rates in England. By Anna Bawden, The Guardian.

The Times looks at why the Diocese of Ely Multi-Academy Trust has made Latin the main language at 21 of its schools, with weekly lessons for 7 to 11-year-olds. The trust's schools previously taught French and Spanish but opted to introduce Latin with support from Classics for All, which aims to widen state-school uptake of the language. By Nicola Woolcock. 

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