Writing in The Telegraph, deputy comment editor Michael Mosbacher explores data from the latest ISC Census, which shows a fall in pupil numbers at independent schools since the introduction of Labour's VAT on fees policy. On education secretary Bridget Phillipson's "extremely misleading" claim that more independent schools have opened than have closed, he writes: "According to the ISC, 90pc of schools that have closed are mainstream schools. And 90pc of those that have opened are, often very small, special schools. If the fees at these schools are paid by a local authority – because it cannot itself adequately cater for a child’s educational needs – then VAT is not applicable." Mr Mosbacher also notes that "full-time-equivalent teacher numbers are down 1,900 since Labour came to power", despite the party's pledge to recruit 6,500 new state school teachers in key subjects using funds generated by the tax policy. 

Charlotte Rule from Surrey writes to The Telegraph "as one of the thousands of staff directly affected by Labour’s ill-considered decision to impose VAT on independent school fees". She says: "As pupil numbers fall, redundancies increase, and people are losing their jobs as well as their homes and the communities that have shaped their lives." Describing the negative consequences of the government's tax policy on staff and pupils at independent schools as well as the wider community, Ms Rule warns of the threat to individuals' "serious mental ill-health" before concluding: "The spiralling consequences of this policy are being felt far beyond."

In his letter to the paper, Michael Connolly from Somerset highlights the government's pledge to recruit more teachers. He writes: "Whatever one thinks of Labour’s policy of VAT on private school fees, surely we deserve coherence from our ministers", before highlighting a "fundamental contradiction" in Bridget Phillipson's ambition that "every child should be taught by an exceptional teacher".
The letters appear halfway. 

A six-year-old with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has been denied mental health support on the NHS because he goes to independent school, The Telegraph reports. The boy’s mother sought help for her child, who has autism, from Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust after her son’s behaviour made her fear he was hearing voices. In response, the trust sent a letter stating: "As [her son] attends an independent primary school, our Mental Health Support Teams do not cover this school." The mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said it was "unfair" that her son had been excluded from NHS care. Alder Hey NHS Trust claimed that access to their services was based on "clinical need", and said that independent schools "typically arrange their own Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) support". Criticising the response, MPs and campaigners said denying a child mental health support based on the type of school they attend is "unacceptable" and that "vulnerable children are falling through the cracks" despite the NHS’s founding principle to give universal healthcare. By Cameron Henderson.

In a series of written questions in the House of Commons, Labour MP Apsana Begum asked whether the education secretary had considered making training in medical responses to drug misuse, road traffic accidents and knife wounds a mandatory part of secondary school education. In response, schools minister Georgia Gould explained that all state schools are required to teach first aid as part of the health education set out in the relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance, and "independent schools are required to cover health education as part of their responsibility to provide personal, social, health and economic education". Ms Gould said the RSHE guidance requires primary schools to teach basic first aid, while in secondary schools, "pupils learn about CPR, defibrillator use, the law on knife crime, how to manage personal safety in increasingly independent situations including around roads, and drug misuse". She added: "Schools have flexibility in how they deliver this content." Hansard. 

Signs saying "Keep off the grass" and "No ball games" should be taken down in public areas to encourage children to play outdoors, Professor Helen Dodd of Exeter Medical School has said. The psychology expert is publishing research this week showing that outdoor play is crucial for young children's mental health. Her study has found that, among children aged two to four, each additional day of outdoor play per week increased the likelihood of good mental health at age eight by up to 14 per cent. However, Professor Dodd has expressed concern that children without access to safe green spaces are being discouraged from playing outdoors by signage prohibiting games. By Sarah Knapton, The Telegraph.

The Times meets Sir Gareth Southgate to discuss how he is working to tackle male toxicity, depression and low self-esteem. Speaking ahead of his BBC documentary Gareth Southgate: Changing the Game for Young Men, the former England manager highlights concerns around boys' educational attainment, employability, mental health and identity. "I have worked with young boys for years... but until recently I was a little blind to what else was going on. So many boys now appear to be lost. It worries me," he says. By Alice Thomson.

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.