ISC Daily News Summary

The Daily Express reports this afternoon the Government is expected to announce the closure of all UK schools as part of measures to delay the spread of coronavirus. By Emily Ferguson.

BBC News reports schools, colleges and childcare facilities in the Republic of Ireland are to close from Friday to 29 March.

More than 320,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Government to close schools, and teachers have reportedly been told to prepare home-learning packs for their pupils. By Terri-Ann Williams, Daily Mail.

An article in Tes offers a comprehensive guide to navigating school closures amid the coronavirus outbreak. By Dan Worth.

Tes reports teachers are being advised to collect pupils' mock GCSE exam scripts in case this summer's final exams are cancelled. By Catherine Lough.

Tes reports on comments from some independent school heads calling for GCSEs to be replaced with broader, alternative courses. By Catherine Lough. The article quotes Magnus Bashaarat, head of Bedales School, Jenny Brown, head of City of London School for Girls, Matthew Albrighton, deputy academic head at St Edward's School in Oxford, and Stephen Jones, warden of St Edward's.

There are several letters in The Times on this topic. Stephen Jones expresses his support for calls to scrap GCSEs, arguing "it is certainly right to call for change". Andrew Halls, head of King's College School, Wimbledon, argues schools and colleges should introduce a practical vocational route for the "forgotten third" who fail both English and maths GCSE. Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the ISC, writes that GCSEs motivate students, and provide a 'record of achievement' for school leavers. All three letters can be found at the top of the page.

David Byrne, director of sport at Bede's, discusses how the school's sports programme supports pupils' physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

Speaking at an event on Monday organised by the Private School Policy Reform think tank, Hans Broekman, the principal of Liverpool College, called on the Department for Education to create a unit dedicated to helping independent schools to become state schools. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

Schools Week outlines four key education takeaways from this year's budget announcement. By Freddie Whittaker.