The fall in independent school pupil numbers has "somewhat offset" the impact of falling rolls in the state sector, according to a study by SchoolDash. Analysts at the organisation, which provides information, dashboards and analysis on schools in England, said independent school pupil numbers "have been declining even faster [than those at state schools] and thus fallen as a proportion of all school places". The reduction was particularly "noticeable" from 2024, when Labour's VAT on fees policy was announced, they added. The team has also warned that taxpayer-funded schools will need to "shed more staff" to remain viable, amid a continued drop in the number of children. By Jack Dyson. 

Campaigners are urging prime minister Andy Burnham to abandon the core elements of the government's reform of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision in England, arguing they unfairly remove children's legal protections. Published in The Guardian, the letter from over 30 children, parents and experts, led by the broadcaster Chris Packham, calls on Mr Burnham to overturn the plans set out by his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer. The coalition is hoping the change of prime minister and education secretary may bring a change of heart from the government. In the letter, they say: "We… urge ministers to work with SEND families and organisations to retain existing SEND legal rights, preserve individual provision, improve accountability in the system, and retain meaningful independent routes of appeal." By Kiran Stacey.

The surge in cases of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has reached a "tipping point" that risks causing lifelong harm to children, a landmark government review has concluded. The report said autism and ADHD have historically been underdiagnosed, but the trend was now moving "towards an increased risk of misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis", prompting experts to warn that holding a diagnostic label from a young age could "close doors" and have "unintended harms", including making it hard to find a job or sustain a relationship. By Eleanor Hayward and Ben Clatworthy, The Times. 

In an article for The Telegraph, Flora Watkins explains how she has spent £20,000 fighting to get help for her daughter with ADHD and autism. "Policymakers and doubters would do well to remember that for every diagnosis of ADHD and autism, there is a person - often a young child - at the core who is struggling. And a family around them doing their best not to fracture", she says. 

More than a third (37 per cent) of girls in Year 7 and above say that periods stop them taking part in physical activity, a Youth Sport Trust survey of pupils' views has found. Conducted between January and June this year, the survey drew on responses from nearly 18,000 pupils across primary and secondary schools. Highlighting concerns that boys are more likely than girls to feel positive about PE, it found that 43 per cent of girls in Year 7 or above said they would feel "not at all" comfortable discussing the issue of periods with their teacher during PE. Commenting on the findings, Ali Oliver, chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust, said the success of female athletes was not translating into equal experiences for girls in school sport, warning it was "really concerning" that some sports were increasingly viewed as belonging to one gender. By Abigail Imas and Jabed Ahmed, Tes. 

School inspections in England continue to harm the mental wellbeing of teaching staff, according to an independent survey of school leaders commissioned by Ofsted. Casting doubt on efforts to reduce the stress caused by inspectors' visits, the survey of school leaders who had gone through the revised inspections since last year found that 88 per cent said it had "negatively affected" the mental wellbeing of school staff, including 29 per cent who said it affected them "a lot". Urging Ofsted to release the survey in its entirety rather than a summary, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the wellbeing and workload findings "should stop everyone in their tracks". By Richard Adams, The Guardian. 

Writing in The Telegraph, Sir Martyn Oliver, the chief inspector of Ofsted, says the survey findings provide "clear evidence" that the inspectorate is beginning to "turn down the temperature for teachers". He argues that inspection remains essential for raising standards and rejects calls to remove grading or abolish Ofsted. "External scrutiny is the best way to encourage, and to recognise, higher standards", Sir Martyn adds. 

Hurstpierpoint College sisters Honor and Cat Black received offers from all five Dragons when they recently appeared on BBC's Dragons' Den with their cricket business, Maiden Cricket. Founded in 2024 after years of playing in kit that was not designed specifically for women and girls, Maiden has since grown into a business creating cricket clothing, equipment and teamwear for female players.

Commenting on the girls' success, Dominic Mott, headmaster at Hurst, said: "I vividly remember them coming to my office to pitch the Maiden products to me as a client. Their passion, purpose and energy persuaded me to sign a contract with Maiden to equip our girls' cricket teams, and it always puts a smile on my face when I see our female cricketers proudly wearing the Hurst and Maiden logos side-by-side."

On her experience, student Honor explained: "When we started Maiden, we wanted to solve a problem we knew first-hand. To see that idea grow into a business, and then have the opportunity to take it into the Den, has been an incredible journey. But for us, the goal has always been to make it easier for more women and girls to play cricket."

Maiden Cricket now works with clubs, schools, universities and cricket organisations across the UK, and launched in the US in August. 

If you have a good news story you would like to share with us, please email [email protected] to be considered for inclusion.

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.