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In a hurry? Click on a link below.
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ISC’s new Friday Feature series
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And finally
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Every Friday, we will be highlighting a good news story from one of our schools in the Daily News Summary to round off the week. These could include everything from achieving new milestones in bursary provision, charity fundraising, and partnership projects, to inspiring success stories about individual pupils and staff members.
If you have a story you would like to share with us, please email to be considered for inclusion.
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Education leaders and volunteers recognised in New Year Honours list
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General education
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Headteachers and volunteers are among those featured in the 2026 New Year Honours list. John Towers, head of Barrow Hills School, and Kathryn Anne Crewe-Read, former headteacher of Bishop’s Stortford College, have been appointed Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to education. John Melvyn, a volunteer at Wolverhampton Grammar School, has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM), also for services to education. The full list is available at gov.uk. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.
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Parents’ groups pledge to oppose plans limiting SEND support rights
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SEND
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Proposals to curb special needs rights could have "catastrophic implications for children and families", campaigners have warned. Under plans to transfer responsibility to schools, parents’ legal rights over their children’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support are set to be removed for all but the most severe and complex cases. The changes being considered would raise the evidence threshold for gaining an education, health and care plan (EHCP) to exclude more moderate conditions, and would mean hundreds of thousands of children who would previously have been granted the plans would be placed under a different system of support. In a message to its members on social media, parents' campaign group Send Action wrote: "Get ready to fight back." By Max Kendix, The Times.
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Decline in reading is a national security threat, education secretary warns
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General education
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The decline in reading is a threat to British national security as it leaves pupils more vulnerable to Russian disinformation, Bridget Phillipson has warned. In an article for The Telegraph, the education secretary expressed alarm over the stark fall in the number of younger people picking up books for pleasure. According to the National Literacy Trust, just 33 per cent of children aged over eight say they enjoy reading in their free time, down from 51 per cent two decades ago. The Department for Education has joined with the trust to declare 2026 a "national year of reading", with events being arranged in a concerted campaign to reverse the trend. Ms Phillipson's article, 'We need a generation of readers', appears directly after the news story, which is by Ben Riley-Smith.
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Chickenpox vaccine to be offered to children for first time
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Health
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Children are to be vaccinated against chickenpox for the first time to reduce hospital admissions. From today, GP practices will offer a combined MMRV jab at 12 and 18 months of age, adding protection against chickenpox to existing measles, mumps and rubella vaccines. While usually mild, chickenpox can cause serious complications requiring hospital treatment, and around 20 children die from the condition each year. By Sarah Knapton, The Telegraph.
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ISC CEO: Independent schools 'definitely adapting' to VAT on fees
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Independent sector
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Parts of the Home Counties have been most affected by the introduction of VAT on fees, government data shows. In the 2024-25 academic year, a rising number of pupils at state schools corresponding with a falling number in independent enrolment was found in fewer than one in seven local authorities. The findings come as analysis by the Financial Times for the same academic year suggests the fall in independent numbers has been concentrated among primary-age children, with a 3.4 per cent fall in the independent sector, compared with a 1.4 per cent fall in the state sector. Speaking to the paper, Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), warned that numbers leaving the independent sector would increase, pointing to bigger falls of about five per cent in the first years of primary and secondary school. "We know this from the previous economic crash, that parents do all they possibly can to get their children through to the next transition point, so that’s why it takes a few years to work through the system", she explained. Acknowledging that VAT was "not going to decimate the sector", Ms Robinson said independent schools had "a really good, positive, confident future". She added: "Certainly, it has caused some damage, and that’s patchy and in some local areas worse than others. And at the same time, the sector is definitely adapting to this new era." By Chris Smyth, Amy Borrett and Laura Hughes.
iNews reports that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has increased its prediction of how much the VAT on fees policy will raise, citing projected rises in average earnings. It comes after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch previously claimed the policy "won’t raise a penny". Reference is made to figures from the ISC's latest annual census, which show a five per cent decline in pupil numbers at key entry points for the 2024-25 school year. Shadow education minister Saqib Bhatti said the fact that tens of thousands of children were being priced out of the independent sector was "anti-aspiration", adding: "Labour’s education tax is punishing children." By Arj Singh.
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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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