ISC Daily News Summary

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has said schools in England will be given two weeks' notice before reopening, adding he hopes pupils will be able to return to classrooms "before Easter". BBC News.

John Swinney, Scotland's education secretary, has suggested schools in Scotland may reopen to the youngest and oldest pupils first as part of a phased return. By Chris Green, iNews.

The Times reports on new research from the Sutton Trust, which has found 40 per cent of middle class pupils have done at least five hours of work a day during lockdown, compared with 26 per cent of working class children. By Nicola Woolcock. Schools Week highlights other findings from the report, which suggest 72 per cent of senior leaders in state schools are having to "source IT equipment for disadvantaged pupils themselves". By Jess Staufenberg.

The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed that remote learning for primary and early years children does not need to be conducted wholly online. By Amy Gibbons, Tes.

An article in Tes explores how Ofsted will carry out virtual inspection visits during lockdown. By John Roberts.

Schools Week reports Ofsted has received 13,000 emails praising schools for their remote learning provision, and around 260 complaints. By James Carr.

Annabel Heseltine writes in The Telegraph arguing the pandemic has left some parents reconsidering their decision to send their child to boarding school.

According to The Telegraph, the Government is being urged to draft early guidance for the return of extracurricular sport, amid concerns about children's inactivity levels during lockdown. By Jeremy Wilson.

Footballer and child poverty campaigner Marcus Rashford has called on the Government to offer a guaranteed "meal a day" to all vulnerable children in England. By Patrick Butler, The Guardian.

Barnardo's, the children's charity, has launched a new website designed to support the mental wellbeing of teachers and pupils during the pandemic. By Dave Speck, Tes.

Kirsty Williams, the education minister for Wales, has confirmed teachers are set to decide pupils' GCSE, AS and A-level grades this year. By Bethan Lewis, BBC News.

Mei Kawagoe, a Year 11 student, writes in Tes about the "worry and uncertainty" young people are facing following the cancellation of exams.

Louise Simpson, head of Exeter School, writes to The Times in response to a proposal for the introduction of SATs-style university entrance tests. She argues expensive SATs preparation courses disadvantage those who cannot afford them, adding: "Any aptitude test needs to test aptitude alone, not the level of preparation." The letter can be found halfway down the page.

Pearson Edexcel has confirmed it will reinstate the work of British jazz artist Courtney Pine to its A-level music syllabus, saying "we agree entirely that pupils should study music by composers from diverse cultures and backgrounds". The exam board has also said a review of the set works and listening pieces "will be completed in time for students starting their A-level music studies in September 2021". By Richard Adams and Harriet Clifford, The Guardian.

The DfE has said university tuition fees in England will be frozen at a maximum of £9,250 for a year, though a longer-term decision on whether to cut fees will be postponed until the next Comprehensive Spending Review. Ministers have also outlined a series of proposed measures to boost the status of vocational qualifications, as part of the newly published Skills for Jobs White Paper. By Katherine Sellgren, BBC News.