ISC Daily News Summary

According to proposals outlined by the Department for Education (DfE) and Ofqual on Friday, pupils could sit mini exams at home this year and receive their final grades in July. By Emma Yeomans, The Times.

Speaking to The Independent, some pupils share their concerns about the implementation of online assessments. By Adam Smith.

The Government has been urged to "provide a means for all private candidates, including home-educated students, to obtain a grade" this year. By Damien Gayle, The Guardian.

According to The Independent, the Government has told schools it does not require regulatory approval to carry out daily COVID-19 testing in secondary schools. By Zoe Tidman.

Headteachers and education unions have criticised the Government's "incomplete" attempt to distribute laptops to children who need them for online learning. By Zoe Tidman, The Independent.

The Sunday Times features a piece on Maro Itoje, a rugby player for England and former pupil at Harrow School, who is calling on ministers to ensure children have access to computers and free broadband while learning from home. By Sian Griffiths.

Families in 37 local authority areas with poor or no internet connection are to be offered free high-speed broadband until the end of the summer term to support children with their online learning. By Mark Sweney, The Guardian.

Oak National Academy has created a virtual library, enabling children in England to access books online for free while schools remain closed. BBC News.

Parents have been urged to ensure their children take regular breaks from remote learning, to minimise any potential damage to their sight and hearing. By Lianne Kolirin, The Times.

Susan Daniels OBE, chief executive of the National Deaf Children's Society, has said deaf children are continuing to struggle with their learning, as teachers have not been advised to wear clear masks in schools. By Lizzie Roberts, The Telegraph.

Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, writes in The Times calling on the Government to address the "educational deficit created by the pandemic" by providing more support for disadvantaged pupils.

Tes reports independent schools will not be able to issue refunds for fees that have already been paid this term due to charity law. By Catherine Lough. The article quotes Christopher King, chief executive of the Independent Association of Prep Schools, Rudi Eliott Lockhart, chief executive of the Independent Schools Association, and Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council.

Baroness Barran, the Government's loneliness minister, has warned of the impact of lockdown on the mental wellbeing of toddlers and young people. By Christopher Hope and Louisa Wells, The Telegraph.

Vanessa Moulton, a therapist, describes how she is having to turn away teenagers struggling with their mental health during the pandemic due to a spike in the number of people seeking support. By Eleanor Steafel, The Telegraph.

According to figures from the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, the number of reported incidents of children dying or being seriously harmed following suspected abuse or neglect rose by 27 per cent after England's first lockdown last year. BBC News.

John Swinney, Scotland's education secretary, has said it would be a "tall order" for Scottish schools to reopen fully on 1 February. By Kieran Andrews, The Times.

Professor Sir David Eastwood, vice-chancellor of the University of Birmingham, writes in The Times in favour of replacing A-levels with a diploma system and introducing a Standardised Assessment Test for university admission.

Sathnam Sanghera writes in The Sunday Times arguing the national curriculum should be updated to include the teaching of British colonial history.

A new study has found evidence to suggest that eating a poor diet is driving childhood obesity, rather than a lack of physical activity. By Lizzie Roberts, The Telegraph.