ISC Daily News Summary

The NSPCC has reported record levels of calls and messages to its helpline during the pandemic, fuelling concerns that children who could not go to school during the lockdowns were more vulnerable to abuse and neglect. By Judith Burns, BBC News.

New research findings suggest half of teachers have suffered at least one symptom of work-related burnout since the beginning of this academic year. By Dave Speck, Tes.

According to The Telegraph, the Government has acknowledged that Public Health England "did not consider" the potential negative health impacts of requiring children to wear face masks in classrooms. By Camilla Turner.

A coalition of headteachers, parents and MPs has called on the Government to pause formal tests for primary school children in England to help them catch up on their learning. By Zoe Tidman, The Independent.

A survey by the National Literacy Trust has found that the proportion of children who read for pleasure increased last year for the first time since 2016. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

Survey findings suggest 34 per cent of headteachers are using pupil premium funding to plug gaps in school budgets, up from 23 per cent in 2019. By Catherine Lough, Tes.

Colin Hughes, chief executive of the AQA exam board, has said there will be "no leap back to normality" for GCSEs and A-levels in 2022 because of the impact the pandemic has had on a "whole generation of students". By Catherine Lough, Tes.

Anne Whyte QC writes in The Times arguing children, teachers and parents need to be educated about "what constitutes an offence, especially a sexual one, and what sort of sentences and orders the courts can impose".

Survey findings from the Higher Education Policy Institute suggest 58 per cent of students believe there should be a compulsory test on understanding sexual consent at the start of university. BBC News.

Dr Tony Sewell CBE, chairman of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, has said the national curriculum should “reflect the good and the evil of Empire” and include a “retelling” of the slave trade. By Gabriella Swerling, The Telegraph.

Labour MP Mike Amesbury has announced that a bill intended to help bring down the cost of school uniforms has "finished its journey through Parliament" and is set to become law today. By Amy Gibbons, Tes.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has said all state school pupils in England should be taught in academy chains, arguing the pandemic has shown it is "no longer viable for schools to be single entities". By Will Hazell, iNews.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has outlined plans for termly surveys to provide a "regular snapshot of the state of behaviour in schools". By Tom Belger, Schools Week.