In the latest ISC blog, Paul Norton, principal and proprietor of Kings Monkton School and WISC director, reflects on the invaluable role Welsh independent schools play in the wider educational ecosystem.

The majority of parents believe their own childhood was better than that of their children, with a YouGov survey commissioned by the NSPCC revealing that just 25 per cent of children engage with "in-person play activities" every day. In comparison, 27 per cent of parents said their children were playing online games every day. According to the findings, 55 per cent of parents said they thought they had "better childhood experiences" than their sons and daughters. Urging ministers to act, Lucy Marsh, of the Family Education Trust, said: "If the government really wants to tackle the mental health crisis and ensure children learn resilience skills, they should provide financial and practical support to help families spend more time together, not less." By Sanchez Manning, The Times.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not rising despite public perception that cases are increasing, researchers at King’s College London have claimed. According to the academics, many studies suggesting a surge were of too low quality to be trusted, and increased awareness may be leading some young people to use the term ADHD as a way to express general distress, even if they have not been diagnosed. In the UK, it’s estimated that ADHD impacts about three to five per cent of children and adults. Professor Phillip Shaw, director of the King’s Maudsley Partnership for Children and Young People at the university, said: "[The term is] sometimes used, I suspect, by young people who are expressing that they are struggling, particularly at school, and need help." By Sarah Knapton, The Telegraph. An accompanying graphic shows how ADHD affects the brain. The article concludes with a link to a detailed guide on the neurodevelopmental disorder, by Laurel Ives.

Operation Encompass, which became law last year, was introduced to alert schools the day after police record a domestic violence incident involving a child. Experts say the system still needs improvement, particularly in relation to timing and information-sharing, although they acknowledge a strong commitment from both education professionals and the police to make it work effectively. Anne Longfield, executive chair of the Centre for Young Lives, has deemed it a "transformative initiative" - but only if schools are adequately resourced. By Ellen Peirson-Hagger, Tes.

The National Institute of Teaching has been given the power to grant degrees, in a move bringing it closer to becoming a "specialist, school-led university for the teaching profession". From the autumn, the government’s flagship teacher training provider will grant its own postgraduate certificate of education (PGCE) to its students. At present, teacher trainers without such powers have to partner with universities to award trainee teachers their final qualification. By Jessie Williams, Schools Week. 

The University of Hertfordshire is seeking to address teacher shortages by offering a part-time PGCE course starting this September. Unlike the usual five-day programme, the new course will run for three days a week. The news comes as government data shows only 1.5 per cent of teacher trainees currently study part-time. Programme lead Chris Powell said the flexible option is intended to help those who want to teach but face barriers to full-time training. By Amy Holmes, BBC News. 

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