ISC Daily News Summary

Secondary students who refuse to wear a face mask when they return to school could be physically segregated from their peers and banned from certain activities, according to The Telegraph. By Camilla Turner.

The Department for Education has confirmed that international pupils arriving in England will be allowed to self-isolate at their boarding school, rather than in a quarantine hotel. By PA Media, The Mail. The article quotes Robin Fletcher, chief executive of the Boarding Schools Association, and Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council.

A Scottish advisory group on education has recommended that all secondary school pupils in Scotland should be required to wear face coverings in classrooms and corridors when they return later this month. BBC News.

First minister Nicola Sturgeon has said all secondary school pupils in Scotland will return to classrooms part-time from 15 March. BBC News.

Kirsty Williams, the education minister for Wales, has said pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 could return to school for "check-in" sessions before Easter. By Bethan Lewis, BBC News.

According to a new report published by Unicef, at least 168 million children worldwide have missed almost an entire year of education due to the pandemic. By Sarah Newey, The Telegraph.

Sir Peter Wanless, chief executive of the NSPCC, is expected to call for "urgent action" to support children who have had traumatic experiences during lockdown. Tes.

Dr John McMullen, an educational psychologist and a senior lecturer at Stranmillis University College and Queen's University Belfast, writes in The Guardian arguing the post-pandemic education recovery plan should focus on supporting pupils' wellbeing.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, has described this year's budget as a 'missed opportunity' for education, after it failed to pledge extra funding for schools beyond existing budget increases and catch-up schemes already announced by the Government. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

According to a review by the Office for Statistics Regulation, last year's grading system prompted "widespread public dissatisfaction", which could mean public bodies are less willing to use statistical models to support future decision-making. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

Olli-Pekka Heinonen, a Finnish education leader and former minister, is to take on the role of director-general at the International Baccalaureate from 1 May. By Catherine Lough, Tes.

To mark World Book Day, Vincent Rice, literacy coordinator at AKS Lytham Prep School, discusses the importance of nurturing pupils’ spoken language skills.

New study findings suggest that engaging primary school pupils in philosophical discussions does not significantly improve their reading and maths abilities. By Richard Adams, The Guardian.

New global university rankings have placed British institutions at the top of 13 subject tables. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.