ISC Daily News Summary

The Labour Party has promised to cap class sizes in England at 30 pupils by recruiting almost 20,000 extra teachers over the next five years. BBC News.

The SNP has put forward plans to strip Scottish independent schools of their charitable relief on business rates from September next year. By Alistair Grant, The Herald. The article references a quote from John Edward, director of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools.

Research for the Sutton Trust suggests GCSE reforms in England have 'increased the test score gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils'. BBC News.

According to a study from University College London, up to a quarter of disadvantaged students are accepting places at lower ranking universities, despite having the grades to attend a more prestigious institution. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

Arlan Hamilton, a entrepreneur from the US, is to fund a scholarship scheme for disadvantaged black British students to attend Oxford University. The Oxford-Arlan Hamilton and Earline Butler Sims Scholarship will run for three years starting next year, and will fund the fees and living costs of each successful applicant. BBC News.