A joint event aimed at furthering partnerships between state and independent schools will take place this autumn, hosted by the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS) and School Leaders Scotland. Lorraine Davidson, chief executive of SCIS, said at the body’s annual conference yesterday that the event will "explore how we can raise two-way partnership working to the next level" and "be the launchpad for transforming our relationship with state schools". Addressing delegates, Ms Davidson said: "It’s only by state and independent schools coming together and realising that we have common challenges, that we will realise our potential as an education sector in Scotland and deliver excellent learning and pastoral support for all Scotland’s learners." By Henry Hepburn, Tes. 

iNews speaks to families who have relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in response to rising school fees linked to the government's VAT policy. Parent Debbie Griffin says she and her husband decided to move to Dubai—which has seen a rise in applications to its independent schools—after Labour announced plans to introduce the education tax if the party won the election. Ms Griffin tells the paper that the family expects to save thousands in tax and reduced school fees, but they plan to return to the UK once once their children have completed their independent education in Dubai. By Eleanor Peake.

Writing to The Telegraph, warden of Glenalmond College Mark Mortimer expresses concern over Labour's stance towards independent schools. Urging ministers to engage with the sector, he warns of the "widespread lack of understanding and awareness among MPs" about what independent schools are doing to advance the education of all children. Mr Mortimer argues that the government's policies on independent education - and those pertaining to state schools' autonomy - have "serious ramifications for parents and pupils". He concludes: "During the pandemic, deeply damaging decisions about education were accepted with barely a murmur of protest; we must not make the same mistake again." The letter appears halfway down the page.

Mark Steed, principal of Stamford School, has a letter published in The Times in which he argues that while smartphones have "become an emotional prop for teenagers", this doesn’t have to be the case. Mr Steed believes both schools and parents have a role to play in reducing dependence on phones and references his own school, where pupils lock their phones away during the day. He suggests parents should mirror this approach at home by limiting phone use during meals and adopting a "no tech upstairs" rule to support better sleep. The letter appears below halfway.

Writing in Schools Week, legal experts Graham Burns and Clare Wigzell examine the implications of the recent Supreme Court ruling on the definition of "sex" under the Equality Act 2010 for schools and other education institutions. They say that while little has changed in terms of the practical, everyday management of trans employees, "in relation to consequences for schools as employers, there may be some immediate impact". They add: "Schools are advised to avoid a blanket approach, to look carefully at the circumstances of each case as it arises, and to take all relevant legal and practical considerations into account, seeking advice where necessary."

The number of suspensions from schools in England has increased by 12 per cent in a year, according to government figures. Data from the Department for Education showed there were 295,559 suspensions in the spring term of 2023-24, compared with 263,904 in the same term of 2022-23. The figures also revealed there were 3,107 permanent exclusions in spring 2024, up from 3,039 in spring 2023. The rise comes amid warnings of disruptive behaviour in classrooms following the Covid pandemic. The Telegraph.

Helen Harrison has announced her retirement as headteacher of Fettes College after more than three decades at the school. Ms Harrison, who has served as the school's first female head since 2019, will step down next year, marking the end of a 30-year career at the school. Describing her time at Fettes as "the honour of my life", she expressed pride in the school’s accomplishments under her leadership: "This place; the students and our staff mean the world to me, and it will always be the honour of my life to have led Fettes College and this community." By Lizzie Roberts, The Times.

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