ISC Daily News Summary

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has said he will be consulting with Ofqual to see if next year's GCSEs and A-levels can be pushed back until later in the summer to give pupils more time to learn the content. By Sean Coughlan, BBC News.

Schools Week reports Ofsted inspectors will be asked to check how schools are using additional funding provided by the Government to help children catch up on their learning. By Freddie Whittaker.

The Telegraph reports some school summer terms could be cut short to allow for inset days. By Camilla Turner.

Shaun Fenton, head of Reigate Grammar School, has said independent schools are exploring "a whole range of ideas" for how to maintain social distancing when they reopen to more pupils, from using outdoor learning to hiring marquees. By Catherine Lough, Tes. The article also quotes Christopher King, chief executive of the Independent Association of Prep Schools.

According to a report by the Childhood Trust, children are developing serious mental health conditions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. By Ashitha Nagesh, BBC News. Nearly 300 medical experts have signed a joint letter to the Government calling for 30 hours a week of summer holiday activities for children in Britain, warning youngsters "are at huge risk from the effects of COVID-19 related lockdown and social distancing policies". By Camilla Tominey, The Telegraph. Several sports leaders have spoken to The Telegraph about their fears that the Government will cut funding for physical education in schools, amid concerns that lockdown has exacerbated inactivity levels among children and young people. By Jeremy Wilson. Figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest 76 per cent of people aged 16 to 29 believe their wellbeing has been negatively affected by the outbreak. By Gabriella Swerling, The Telegraph.

Researchers at Oxford University have warned truancy levels could rise when schools reopen, with the effects of lockdown expected to be "traumatic and long lasting" for some children. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

Kasey McCall-Smith, an adviser to a Scottish Government human rights taskforce, has warned there could be a "strong argument" there has been a human rights breach in some areas of Scotland, where ministers have "done so little to provide core minimum provision of education". By Daniel Sanderson and Simon Johnson, The Telegraph. The article quotes John Edward, director of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools.

Schools Week reports the Oak National Academy will create around 10,000 online lessons for children in September. The online school is also set to receive £4.3 million in funding from the Government to continue next year. By John Dickens.

A cross-party group of parliamentarians has called for a new ministerial post to be created to tackle the "entrenched inequity" in England's education system. By Sally Weale, The Guardian.

A separate article in The Guardian explores three ways schools can create long-lasting change as part of their efforts to tackle racism. By Lola Okolosie. The article quotes Allana Gay, headteacher of Vita et Pax Preparatory School.

New admissions data shows one in five British undergraduates who won a place at Oxford University last year were from black and minority ethnic backgrounds (BAME), up from 14.5 per cent five years ago. By Sally Weale, The Guardian.