ISC Daily News Summary

Tes details the winners of this year's Independent School Awards.

Bolton School, Boys' and Girls' Divisions, won 'independent school of the year' for its academic achievements and outreach activities.

The awards supported Child Bereavement UK (CBUK), the nominated Tes charity. The work of CBUK is outlined in a Tes article by Deborah Leek Bailey OBE.

Read more about the winners on the awards website.

Schools minister, Nick Gibb MP, has called for a mobile phone ban in schools to address issues with internet safety, social media and online gaming. By Chris Mason, BBC News.

Today's leading article in The Times argues teachers should encourage pupils to take responsibility for their smartphone use. Leo Winkley, head at Shrewsbury School, writes a letter in The Times on the subject. Letter just below half-way.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, the education secretary has said social media companies have a "moral duty" to remove online content that promotes suicide and self-harm. Andrew Halls, head of King’s College School, Wimbledon, writes a letter to The Sunday Times on this issue. Letter towards the top of the page.

A mentoring app offering advice to thousands of students about university and careers will be rolled out across all schools in the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST). By Nicola Woolcock, The Times. The article quotes Kevin Stannard, the director of innovation and learning at the GDST. A number of ISC schools are referenced.

This weekend saw a number of book reviews following the publication of 'Engines of Privilege: Britain’s Private School Problem', by social historian David Kynaston and the economist Francis Green.

Hugo Rifkind writes in The Times that the book works more as an "unintended advert" for private schools, whilst Dominic Sandbrook questions whether the 'private school problem' is as urgent an issue as posed in the book.

Allison Peason writes in The Telegraph that closing down private schools in "an act of class spite" is pointless since a 'new generation of selective-state schools are taking on the fight'.

Neil Roskilly, CEO at the Independent Schools Association, argues the exams system does not have children at its heart, with results being used "to judge schools rather than help children’s learning". Tes.

Dr Bernard Trafford, a former independent school head, writes about the importance of learning history in school. Tes.

Schools minister, Nick Gibb MP, has called for more attention to be given to oracy, which "can support the delivery of a knowledge-rich curriculum”. By Jess Staufenberg, Schools Week.

Up to 370 schools across the country will take part in mental health trials to see what works best in keeping young people well. By Richard Vaughan, iNews.