ISC Daily News Summary

Anne Longfield, children's commissioner for England, and several heads of education unions have said headteachers are struggling to keep up with the amount of updates made to government guidance notes. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, has said the union's helpline has received several calls from clinically vulnerable older teachers saying they have been "put under a lot of pressure" to return to work. By Catherine Lough, Tes. Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT, has said some schools are "threatening to deduct pay or put people on disciplinary procedures" if they fail to return to the workplace. By Will Hazell, iNews.

Unison has raised concerns over claims teaching assistants are being told to deep clean schools despite having a lack of appropriate training. By Dave Speck, Tes.

The Schoolwear Association has urged headteachers not to allow pupils back to school in their own clothes, claiming school uniforms can limit the risk of transmission and benefit children psychologically. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

Barry Black, a researcher at the University of Glasgow, has said it would be "sensible" to cancel next year's exams in Scotland to help reduce the widening attainment gap between the richest and poorest pupils. By Craig Paton, The Times.

Tes reports thousands of pupils will sit the common entrance exam this week under exam conditions at home. By Catherine Lough. The article mentions St Michael's Preparatory School and Wellesley House School.

Campaigners have written to the Department for Education threatening legal action after the Government announced its free school meal voucher scheme would not run during the summer holidays. By Ross Hawkins, BBC News. According to Tes, the company supplying free school meal vouchers has said 40,000 families have not been able to access the scheme because schools inputted "incorrect or inaccurate" email addresses into the system. By Dave Speck.

The Department for Education has announced schools can postpone teaching the new relationships and sex education curriculum until next summer due to the pandemic. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

According to a survey of 247 initial teacher training providers, half of respondents have pulled out of offering training placements in 2020-21, prompting concerns about the impact of coronavirus disruption on teacher recruitment. By James Carr, Schools Week.

Speaking to iNews, several youngsters across the UK share how they have been affected by the lockdown. By Kasia Delgado.

An article in The Telegraph offers advice to parents on how they can talk about coronavirus with their children. By Katie Russell.

The Telegraph reports Russell Group universities are preparing to lower offers to fill places this autumn, with many school leavers expected to defer this year. By Camilla Turner.

iNews reports on concerns that a student cap introduced by the Government could disproportionately affect newer universities with a larger proportion of students from disadvantaged and black and minority ethnic backgrounds. By Will Hazell.

The latest edition of the ISC's 'good news' round-up explores how schools are continuing to support their wider communities as they gradually welcome more pupils back to the classroom.