More than 10,000 pupils are going be trained on how to carry out life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) using a defibrillator. South Central Ambulance Service staff will lead the training at some 100 schools across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire. The initiative will coincide with Restart a Heart Day, which is a national campaign to improve survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. Pupils will be trained on performing chest compressions and how to use a defibrillator. By Ethan Gudge, BBC News.

A Freedom of Information request obtained by The Telegraph has revealed that ministers expected independent schools to absorb less than one per cent of the VAT on fees policy from their profits. The Treasury memo shows how the government calculated that its tax would result in parents facing a 10 per cent fee increase. Ministers assumed an effective VAT rate of 15.4 per cent after accounting for the tax schools can reclaim on their costs, and then showed how only one per cent of this would be absorbed through schools’ profits or reserves, while a 10 per cent proportion would be absorbed by the school making efficiencies. The government calculated schools would then reduce their quality of service provided to pupils by 22 per cent on top of the efficiency savings they had made so that parents would face an overall fee increase of 10.3 per cent. Criticising the government for its tax policy, Saqib Bhatti, the shadow education minister, said: "We are already seeing school closures and thousands of children being forced to drop out, disrupting their education. And now we know even the government’s own figures show many schools can’t afford to pay." By Pieter Snepvangers and Bill Curtis.

The Telegraph examines the impact of Labour’s wealth taxes, their effects so far, and how the government could expand them further in the autumn. The paper interviews people affected by recent tax measures, including the VAT on fees policy. Reference is made to figures from the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which show member schools have seen a 25,000 decrease in the number of pupils since Labour vowed to add VAT to fees. Commenting on the impact of the tax policy, Sarah Cunnane, the ISC's head of media and communications, says: "We’ve seen around just over 80 schools close in the past academic year. It’s proving existential for some schools. In many areas, independent schools will be the biggest local employer." By Eir Nolsøe and Szu Ping Chan.

In a letter to the Sunday Times, Dr Sarah Tullis, head of The Abbey School, responds to recent reports on the impact of the VAT on fees policy, and argues that girls’ schools empower young women to thrive academically and personally, free from gender bias. Dr Tullis writes: "In a world where boys in co-ed classes profit from up to 30 per cent more teacher attention and in which misogyny is on the rise, all-girls schools give their pupils a voice — one that deserves to be equally heard." The letter appears below halfway.

Analysis for The Telegraph by Unifrog, an online destinations platform used by more than 3,000 secondary schools in the UK, suggests that Durham University is now the preferred option for independent school families, ahead of Oxbridge. In recent years, independent school pupils in Year 13 using the Unifrog university shortlist facility have consistently ranked Durham in their top three. Speaking to the paper, Clare Freeman, head of sixth form at The Royal Masonic School for Girls, remarked: "Durham is definitely seen by parents as one of the most sought-after universities. In recent years, it has been the top or second top university in terms of the volume of students we send there." By Julie Henry. An accompanying table lists the top universities among current Year 13 students, based on the analysis. 

A number of schools in membership of the ISC's constituent associations are mentioned across this weekend's coverage. 

Pate’s Grammar School in Cheltenham, one of England’s top grammar schools, is changing its admissions policy to accept more disadvantaged pupils, even if they score lower than their "tutored" peers in the 11-plus entrance exam. From 2026, the Gloucestershire school will reserve 15 places for pupils who are eligible for free school meals or live in a deprived area. Pate’s is not alone; Reading School in Berkshire has introduced a new 11-plus designed to assess raw intelligence rather than tutoring. The article also examines the wider role of tutoring and notes that many families move their children into independent schools for two years before the entrance exam to help prepare them for senior school entry. By Louise Eccles and Matilda Davies, The Sunday Times. 

Children who spend excessive time on screens perform worse in reading and maths tests, according to a new study from The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. More than 5,000 Canadian children participated in the study, including 3,300 nine-year-olds, equivalent to Year 4 in British primary schools, and 2,000 12-year-olds, comparable to Year 7. The researchers found each additional hour of screen time was linked to nine per cent lower odds of achieving a high grade in reading and maths for the younger pupils studied. For the older children, the figure was 10 per cent. The Telegraph. 

Writing in The Guardian, journalist and author Sarah Ayoub explores the impact of Australia's phone ban in schools, which came into effect two years ago. Anecdotal conversations with students and staff at both public and private schools suggest that the bans are widely seen as having a positive impact. One high school teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, told Ms Ayoub that even unused phones can be distracting, adding: "We do see a difference without them." 

Universities with a record of poor teaching will be made to charge lower tuition fees under government plans expected within weeks. Those found to be offering inadequate teaching by the Office for Students will have to charge less than the standard fees, currently capped at £9,535. A white paper will reveal whether the reduction will be hundreds or thousands of pounds per year. The proposal would mean a university would have to offer the same lower fee for any course, rather than being able to charge a higher fee for some of its better courses and lower fees for poorer courses. By Louise Eccles, The Sunday Times. 

The vast majority of Sendcos are finding it hard to carry out administrative tasks during work hours due to "unsustainable" workloads, a Teacher Tapp survey conducted in the first month of this academic year has revealed. The findings come amid government plans to teach more pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in mainstream schools, which experts warn could lead to Sendcos’ workload increasing further. Just six per cent of Sendcos felt able to complete their administrative tasks in weekly working hours, according to the data commissioned by Tes, while more than half of respondents said they were already being forced to work outside of their normal hours. By John Roberts.

There has been a "vacuum of information" surrounding ministers' planned reforms to SEND provision, the Department for Education's strategic adviser for SEND, Dame Christine Lenehan, has said. Speaking at the Tes SEND show in London last week, the influential adviser acknowledged the reform process was taking longer than some had hoped, adding: "The problem with that is I think we have created a vacuum of information." During the SEND show, panellists also discussed the role of independent special schools amid rising council spending. Dame Christine said such schools will remain part of the "education continuum" but must show "clear educational outcomes". By John Roberts. 

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