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Parents told to expect further fee rises in September amid financial challenges
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Independent sector
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Parents facing independent school fee increases of up to 20 per cent due to the government’s VAT on fees policy have been told to brace for further rises in September. Speaking to iNews, Christoph Lees, chair of governors at an independent school on the south coast, said it will be “impossible” for schools to avoid autumn fee increases amid headline inflation and climbing staffing costs. The article explores the key financial pressures independent schools are facing, which include the VAT policy, the loss of business rates relief, teacher pension increases, higher employer national insurance contributions, and teacher pay rises. By Connie Dimsdale.
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Home secretary promises law to tackle child abuse cover-ups
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Safeguarding
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Addressing the House of Commons yesterday afternoon, home secretary Yvette Cooper said individuals who cover up or fail to report child sexual abuse could face professional or criminal sanctions under a new offence to be added to the Crime and Policing Bill this spring. The proposal was one of 20 recommendations made by Professor Alexis Jay following her seven-year inquiry into child sexual abuse, which concluded in 2022. Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp welcomed the move, but also urged Ms Cooper to announce a national statutory public inquiry into sexual abuse of children by grooming gangs. By Kate Whannel, BBC News.
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Former schools minister: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill 'an act of vandalism'
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Education policy
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Writing in The Telegraph, former schools minister Sir Nick Gibb says Labour's proposed Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill undermines successful education reforms by curbing academies' autonomy, reintroducing local authority control, and favouring a "progressivist" approach. He argues that the policy is "an act of vandalism" and risks harming academic standards as well as cross-sector partnerships. "Bridget Phillipson has been clear that there will be no new free schools created while she’s in post. She is even threatening to halt the partnership between Eton College and the Star Academies trust for new sixth forms serving deprived communities in Dudley, Middlesbrough and Oldham," he warns.
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Teach children to identify as Muslim over British, says Islamic body frontrunner
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Faith education
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Children in the Islamic community should be taught to see themselves primarily as Muslim rather than British, according to Wajid Akhter, the frontrunner to lead the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB). Mr Akhter has warned that teaching children to prioritise their nationality or ethnicity could result in a shallow identity, whereas placing faith at the core of their identity offers a strong foundation for life. By Charles Hymas, The Telegraph.
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Why are some schools adopting a four-day working week?
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General education
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The Telegraph takes a look at some of the schools that have experimented with the traditional teaching timetable by implementing shorter school weeks, and considers the potential impact of this on pupils and parents. Reasons for shortening the week, as mentioned by schools and campaigners, include boosting morale, recruitment, and retention. Liberty Woodland School is featured, where pupils are only required to be in class Monday to Thursday from 8.30am till 4.40pm. By Julie Henry.
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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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