ISC Daily News Summary

The Mail reports teachers have criticised the lack of available coronavirus home testing kits, as some school staff and pupils are forced to miss classes to get tested at their nearest drive-in centre. By Jack Wright.

An article in The Telegraph reports the National Education Union has said teachers could threaten schools with industrial action over concerns about coronavirus safety measures. By Camilla Turner.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, writes in Tes calling on the Government to "provide the right support" to schools as they begin to return to normal.

Susan McLean, headmistress of Kitebrook Preparatory School, writes in Attain magazine explaining how pupils and parents have benefited from a new socially distanced pick-up and drop-off system. Ms McLean discusses this further with Nina Kingsmill Moore, headmistress of Glendower Prep, in Attain's Fresh Thinking podcast.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), school closures caused by the pandemic could mean that GDP takes a 1.5 per cent hit for the rest of the century. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

According to Tes, Robert Halfon, chair of the Commons' Education Select Committee, has called on Ofqual to share information on the amount of GCSE and A-level appeals, as well as the number of students entered into exams this autumn. By Catherine Lough.

Schools Week reports schools in need of alternative venues for autumn A-level resits have until 18 September to secure them and notify the Joint Council for Qualification's centre inspection service. By Freddie Whittaker.

An article in The Times reports John Swinney, Scotland's education secretary, was warned about the widespread downgrading of exams five days before results were published. By Kieran Andrews.

Ian Power, membership secretary at the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, has said the "vast majority" of teachers completing school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) programmes at independent schools have gone on to work in state schools. He added: "These SCITTs are now going from strength to strength and are among the most successful examples of the mutually beneficial partnerships between the independent and state sectors." By Amy Gibbons, Tes.

Siobhain McDonagh, Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden, submitted a written question asking the schools minister "what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the charitable status of independent schools". In response, Nick Gibb said the Department for Education has made no recent estimate, adding the Government continues to work with the independent sector, in line with the joint understanding with the ISC, "to maximise the social benefits that can be generated for their communities".

According to a new report from the OECD, the value added by a degree in the UK has dropped over the last 10 years, while it has increased in other developed countries. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.