ISC Daily News Summary

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has confirmed that the system of sending bubbles of children home after a positive case of COVID will cease at the end of the summer term. By Hannah Richardson, BBC News.

According to guidance published by the Department for Education (DfE) yesterday evening, it "may become necessary to reintroduce bubbles" temporarily in the event of a COVID outbreak. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

Parents in Leicestershire concerned about the risk of COVID outbreaks jeopardising their family holidays have been warned against removing their children from school before the end of term. By Greig Watson, BBC News.

New figures show the number of pupils absent from school for COVID-related reasons climbed to 640,000 last week - up from 375,000 the week before. BBC News.

According to a report by Exeter University and the London School of Economics and Political Science, pupils have missed out on more than half of classroom time during the pandemic. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

Jo Saxton, the Government's preferred candidate as Ofqual's new chief regulator, has indicated that she would prefer next year's exam students to receive advance notice of exam topics, rather than modified papers. By Catherine Lough, Tes.

Updated guidance from the DfE is advising school staff to assume that peer-on-peer sexual abuse is happening even if nobody has reported it. By Emma Yeomans, The Times.

Schools Week summarises eight key changes to the statutory guidance on keeping children safe in education. By Tom Belger.

Speaking to iNews, several teachers have shared their thoughts on a proposed blanket ban on mobile phones in schools, with some saying schools already have rules limiting phone use, and others claiming the devices can be used to support virtual learning. By Rachel Mantock.

According to Ofsted, some school staff are "confusing" their legal obligations under the Equality Act with the moral and the political when teaching children about sex, sexual orientation and gender reassignment. The watchdog has warned this is leading some teachers to use "overtly political materials" in their lessons, "despite the statutory requirement of political neutrality". By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.