Digital literacy should be taught in schools across the curriculum, according to AQA. In a report published today, the exam board warns that although young people are digitally active, they are not consistently safe or confident online. Commenting on the findings, Colin Hughes, AQA's CEO, said that unless digital literacy is taught alongside numeracy and literacy, "we risk leaving young people unprepared for the demands of modern life and work". By John Roberts, Tes. 

Far fewer young children are reading for pleasure, although BookTok and YouTube are helping to boost reading among teenage boys, research by HarperCollins has found. Only 32 per cent of five- to 10-year-olds read daily for pleasure, down from 55 per cent in 2012. Among 14- to 17-year-olds, finding books through BookTok (the TikTok community of readers) rose from 23 per cent in 2024 to 27 per cent last year. A report by the publisher says relentless emphasis on literacy targets at school is harming reading for pleasure, and parents need to understand that advancing their child’s literacy and nurturing leisure reading require different approaches. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times. 

A parliamentary deadlock on protecting children from harmful online content has been resolved after ministers committed to new social media restrictions for under-16s. The House of Lords and the House of Commons had been deadlocked over the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, especially regarding the digital content accessible to young people, but a breakthrough came yesterday when the government pledged to implement social media curbs for those under 16, irrespective of the ongoing public consultation. The move was accepted by Conservative peer and former education minister Lord Nash, who led pressure in the Lords. The upper chamber had voted four times to push the Commons towards a ban. By George Thompson, The Independent. 

Britain can learn from Australia and be more effective in banning under-16s from social media, the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey has said. Addressing the Commons Education Select Committee yesterday, Esther Ghey said she believes Australia’s under-16s social media ban has had some success and offers lessons for making UK restrictions more impactful. Ms Ghey said she and Brianna "constantly battled over her phone use and social media", and said an age limit like Australia’s would help parents in this battle. By Flaminia Luck, LBC.

Teaching children in classes grouped by ability improves the results of high-flyers but does not affect the progress of less able children, according to research by University College London’s Institute of Education that overturns decades of debate on mixed-ability education. Backed by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), the study found that secondary school pupils in England with previously strong maths performances made slower progress in mixed-attainment classes than when they were taught alongside pupils with similarly high ability. It also revealed that setting by ability did not "significantly harm the attainment of low-prior-attaining or socioeconomically disadvantaged" pupils. By Richard Adams, The Guardian.

Thetford Grammar School, which traces its origins back to AD 631, will be closing at the end of this term, The Telegraph has learned. Citing the impact of increasing financial pressures, the school's board said in a statement that "the cumulative impact of the 20 per cent VAT tariff on school fees, the removal of business rates relief, increased employer pension contributions, and the rising of the minimum wage and operating costs has placed an unsustainable pressure on the school". Nearly half of pupils at the school had special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) last year, according to the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). Writing to parents on Monday, the school's chairman Jay Liu added that it had been "an extremely difficult decision". The article references figures from the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which show more than 100 independent schools have announced they will close since the introduction of Labour's new tax policy last year. By Poppy Wood. 

The item is also covered by the Daily Express, which quotes Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC, who said previously that the VAT policy was a "bridge too far" for many schools. Ms Robinson warned in January that more closures would come as the impact of VAT and other tax measures mount up. By Jon King. 

In a lengthy feature, Tes explores how falling pupil numbers are putting significant pressure on school funding. For the most part, falling rolls present a number of problems for schools to navigate, but some leaders believe they also bring advantages. On the "silver linings" of falling rolls, Tim Purser, headteacher of St Francis’ Catholic Primary School in North Somerset describes an "absolutely amazing sensory room for our children with SEND", which includes specialist lighting and furniture. "I couldn’t provide that space if we needed it for a class", he adds. By Ellen Peirson-Hagger, Tes. 

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.