ISC Daily News Summary

Boris Johnson has announced an extra £1.4 billion of catch-up funding to support tutoring sessions and teacher training over the next three years. By Sean Coughlan, BBC News.

The prime minister has been accused of 'letting down' pupils in England after endorsing a fraction of the £15 billion Sir Kevan Collins said was required to support schools and students. By Henry Zeffman, Rachel Sylvester and Emma Yeomans, The Times.

According to The Telegraph, proposals to extend the school day are in doubt amid contention over the multi-million pound price tag. By Harry Yorke. A commentary from education secretary Gavin Williamson can be found beneath the article. Education unions have warned that plans to lengthen the school day by 30 minutes could potentially do "more harm than good". By Rachel Hall, The Guardian. A piece in The Times questions whether creating extra hours of lesson time would help pupils catch up. By Rachel Sylvester.

Kate Green, the shadow education secretary, writes in The Times outlining Labour's education recovery proposals, adding: "An investment in our children's futures is the investment the future of our country depends on."

Joanna Williams writes in The Telegraph warning catch-up measures promised by the Government "may be all hot air" for school leavers whose exams were cancelled this year.

Yvonne Williams, who has spent 22 years as a head of English, writes in Tes outlining five ways teachers could defend themselves against challenges to their grades.

David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, writes in Tes arguing planned reforms to GCSEs could help adults to retrain but would not be of benefit to the 35 per cent of students who fail to achieve a grade 4 in English and maths.

A piece in The Times explores attitudes towards scrapping GCSEs. By Rachel Sylvester.

Education experts have claimed that pupils in Scotland are being allowed to resit assessments to improve their grades due to a "shambolic" lack of guidance and clarity. By Kieran Andrews and Marc Horne, The Times.

BBC News reports Shirely-Anne Somerville, Scotland's new education secretary, is expected to make a statement to Parliament about the appeals process for the Highers and National 5s.

Lord Lexden, president of the Independent Schools Association, writes to The Times arguing independent schools would be able to offer more bursary places to children "if the Government permitted them to transfer to independent schools the money allocated for a child's education in the state sector". The letters is the fourth featured on the page.

Helen Chandler-Wilde writes in The Telegraph reflecting on the impact of the pandemic on the higher education sector, claiming "a degree feels like a poorer investment than ever for many".

Suzanne Moore writes in The Telegraph arguing COVID-19 disruption "has highlighted how the university system was flailing".