ISC Daily News Summary

The Telegraph reports some independent schools may have to raise their fees or offer their teachers less competitive pension packages, following the rise in employer contributions under the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS). By Sam Meadows and Harry Brennan. The article quotes Nicola Miller, chief operating officer of Taunton School.

Speaking to Independent Education Today, Neil Roskilly, chief executive of the Independent Schools Association, said it's "absolutely right" for schools to withdraw from the TPS, "otherwise they would have no choice but to pass the increased contribution on to parents with excessive fee increases". The article also quotes Ben Evans, headmaster of Edge Grove School, and Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council.

Henry Coverdale, assistant head of King Edward's School in Birmingham, writes in The Times in response to a Higher Education Policy Institute report which found just 32 per cent of young people in the UK can read or write in more than one language. He says 'it is only by embracing more international approaches to education that we can hope to make significant progress'. The letter can be found half-way down the page.

Carol Chandler-Thompson, head of Blackheath High School GDST, writes in The Independent arguing schools should teach children about climate change in a "healthy and constructive way", to avoid fuelling the growing trend of "eco-anxiety".

Lisa Kerr, principal of Gordonstoun School, has said banning mobile phones in schools would "help pupils develop their full potential". Tes.

The Telegraph lists a number of "best value" independent schools, noting the bursary and scholarship provision available at many schools.

Research suggests installing air filters in classrooms could raise pupils' test scores by the same amount as reducing class sizes by a third. By Ben Webster, The Times.

According to a report from the Education Policy Institute, 26 per cent of children referred for specialist mental health care were rejected in 2018/19. By Laura Donnelly, The Telegraph.

Ofqual has announced its new artificial intelligence (AI) competition, whereby developers are invited to see if they can design an AI system capable of marking exam papers to the same standard as a human examiner. By Will Hazell, iNews.