ISC Daily News Summary

On this morning's BBC Radio 4 Today Programme, independent schools were discussed following the publication of 'Engines of Privilege: Britain’s Private School Problem'. Sally-Anne Huang, headmistress of James Allen's Girls' School and vice chair of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, was interviewed alongside historian and co-author David Kynaston.

Listen from 2:54:32.

Leo Winkley, headmaster of Shrewsbury School, writes a letter to The Guardian responding to an article that discussed subsidies given to independent schools. In his letter, he gives examples about what schools are doing to merit these subsidies, including partnership work and widening access through growing bursary schemes.

Letter half-way down.

School leaders, members of religion and belief groups, educationists and campaigners have signed a letter warning the Department for Education against diluting LGBT advice in the independent school standards. The Guardian. Neil Roskilly, chief executive officer of the Independent Schools Association, is among the signatories.

Research by the Department for Education has found boys are twice as likely as girls to choose science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) as one of their favourite subjects. As a result, schools minister Nick Gibb has called on teachers to help challenge girls' views. Tes.

How do you encourage girls to engage with STEM subjects? Does your school take part in an independent and state school partnership that helps girls participate in STEM subjects? If you'd like to write a blog about your project, please email [email protected].

Carolyn Fairbairn, director-general of the CBI, has criticised GCSE examinations, which leave "little space to teach the broader skills" looked for by employers. By Rosemary Bennett, The Times.

In The Independent, Eleanor Busby looks at the pros and cons of GCSEs, debating whether a 'radical overhaul' is needed.

The Times leading article argues that the end of GCSEs would allow more time for vocational training. Tes reporter, Will Hazell, argues Halfon’s plan to scrap GCSEs "is a pipe dream".

Nobel prize winner Professor Sir Venki Ramakrishnan is calling for radical change to the UK's A-level examinations. By Judith Burns, BBC News.

The Telegraph discusses the "new wave of architectural additions" to some of the UK's independent schools. By Caroline Roux.

Trained practitioners are using cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) techniques to help young people understand the link between negative thoughts and actions. By Katherine Sellgren, BBC News.