In a new blog for the ISC, Luke Ramsden, deputy head of St Benedict’s School and head elect of St John’s College, explores how the independent sector is well placed to respond to the challenges outlined in the government’s schools white paper. 

Tes explores how the UK government is backing the global expansion of independent schools as part of its International Education Strategy to drive education exports towards £40 billion, highlighting Reigate Grammar School as an example of one institution expanding its overseas campuses. Sean Davey, global business director of Reigate Grammar School International, shared insights from the school’s decade of overseas expansion during a webinar last week, which are summarised by the paper. The event was organised by the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) and designed to support UK independent schools with an eye on overseas expansion. By Emma Seith.

In a series of written questions in the House of Lords, Lord Vaizey of Didcot asked whether the Department for Education is responsible for conducting identity checks on independent school governors. He also asked how many independent school governors are required to verify their identity using Verifile, and how many fail such identity checks. In response to all three questions, Baroness Smith of Malvern said: "The department does not hold this data, as it does not carry out identity checks on individuals involved in the governance or management of independent schools. In accordance with the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, responsibility for ensuring that appropriate identity and suitability checks are carried out rests with the school’s individual proprietor or proprietor body, as applicable." Hansard. 

Rebel peers have defeated the government for a fourth time by backing a social media ban for under-16s. The House of Lords rejected Labour’s proposed compromise and backed the ban by 316 votes to 165 yesterday, a majority of 151. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is seeking to delay any decision on whether to introduce an Australia-style ban until after a public consultation this summer, but the rejection means there is a serious risk ministers could run out of time to get the bill passed before Parliament prorogues tomorrow, ahead of the King’s Speech on May 13 setting out Labour’s new legislative plans. By Charles Hymas, The Telegraph. 

Young people in the UK will face restrictions on their use of social media but ministers remain open-minded regarding the form such limits would take, Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, has said. Speaking to Times Radio earlier today, Ms Phillipson explained she had concerns about the content that under-16s were exposed to online and the length of time they spent staring at screens. "The status quo cannot continue", she warned. By Jamie Grierson, The Guardian. 

The Telegraph's Brexit editor Dia Chakravarty reflects on the impact of the government's VAT on fees policy after a report commissioned by the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS) recently revealed that the tax has cost the Scottish economy £60 million and 900 jobs in its first year of operation. Describing the policy as "class war", Ms Chakravarty writes: "It is difficult to think of another revenue-raising policy in recent times which has failed so spectacularly. Nor is it easy to find another policy around which the briefing from various departments of the government has been so confused, if not downright misleading."

Writing in School Management Plus, head of Wimbledon High School GDST and chair of the HMC Inspection Committee Fionnuala Kennedy looks at what school leaders and teachers can do to counteract the toxic effects of online influencers. On the importance of open communication, she says "leadership sets the standard, and culture trickles down", before adding: "We must offer boundless moments of civil discourse and dialogue, battling against toxic polarisation and black-and-white, extreme thinking."

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