ISC Daily News Summary

The number of requests for exam remarks is predicted to reach a record high, as the nine to one grading system is rolled out across all major subjects. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

The Sunday Times reports on the "forgotten third" of students who fail both English and maths GCSE. A slight rise in the pass rate for these subjects is predicted this year, as exam boards are thought to have reviewed the grade boundaries.

Richard Harman, chief executive of the Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools, writes in The Telegraph addressing reports that Oxbridge governors offer an 'unfair advantage' to pupils at independent schools. He clarifies that governors are not responsible for offering advice to students regarding university admissions. The letter can be found towards the bottom of the page.

In a separate letter, Richard Russell, head of Colfe's School, also responds to the claims, highlighting the ways an Oxbridge governor at his school is working to widen access to Oxford University for local state school pupils. The letter can be found at the bottom of the page.

James Tooley, professor of educational entrepreneurship and policy at the University of Buckingham, writes about the Independent Grammar School: Durham, a low-cost independent school he co-founded that has successfully completed its first year. The Telegraph.

Debbie McIlwraith Cameron, an associate with legal firm Turcan Connell, examines proposals to put an end to charitable relief for Scottish independent schools. She concludes that amending the charity test could better address the debate surrounding the charitable status of private schools, "rather than subjecting certain charities to a financial penalty". The Scotsman.

Writing in The Times, Magnus Bashaarat, head of Bedales School, expresses his support for proposals to introduce a post-qualification university admissions system. The letter can be found a quarter of the way down the page.

Andrew Halls, head of King's College School, writes in The Sunday Times reassuring students of the opportunities available through clearing if they did not receive the A-level grades they wanted.

The Daily Mail reports exam board OCR did not verify the qualifications of applicants for A-level assessor roles, after a journalist was hired to mark an exam paper despite providing a fabricated CV. By Sian Boyle. Mike Buchanan, chief executive of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, is quoted.

In a letter to The Times, Tak-Sang Li, head of English at an independent girls' school, suggests there is a link between the popularity of STEM subjects and the national decline in A-level English entries. The letter can be found half-way down the page.

The Telegraph reports on comments made by Lord Kenneth Baker, that new reforms to GCSEs are responsible for the "squeezing out" of technical, cultural and creative subjects.