ISC Daily News Summary

According to The Telegraph, the number of GCSE pupils who were awarded straight 9s has quadrupled since before the pandemic, and a source at the Department for Education said a new Grade 10 is "not being ruled out". By Camilla Turner, Alex Clark and Ben Butcher. The article quotes Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the ISC.

Analysis of this year's exam results has found that disadvantaged GCSE pupils have dropped further behind their more affluent peers. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times. An article in The Telegraph reports gender, region and class divides have grown at GCSE level. By Alex Clark and Ben Butcher.

Tes reports independent schools and free schools have seen the largest absolute increases in top GCSE results this year. By Catherine Lough.

Sally-Anne Huang, chair of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and high master of St Paul's School, appeared on BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning following the publication of this year's exam results. She highlighted the importance of collaborative work in supporting the education recovery process, adding: "In my own time as a head, partnerships between the independent and state sector have become the norm - 100 per cent of HMC schools are involved in partnership work with their state maintained colleagues." Listen from 2:42:40.

Headteachers at non-selective academy schools have called for the return of exams next year, arguing the traditional system "is the fairest, the most robust and the most transparent". By Amy Walker, iNews.

An editorial piece in The Telegraph reflects on this year's exam results, arguing "children need a definite, irreversible return to normal".

Figures show that Spanish saw the biggest percentage increase in entries of any GCSE subject, while German has dropped by nearly 10 per cent. By Will Hazell, iNews.

Speaking to The Guardian, several GCSE students discuss the challenges of studying during the pandemic, and share their experience of teacher-assessed grades. By David Batty and Jane Clinton.

Cambridge International has reportedly moderated its IGCSE results to match teacher-assessed grades, ensuring the system is "fair to all students". By Dan Worth, Tes.

New Scottish qualifications data published this week shows the gender gap has widened in terms of the relative proportion receiving A grades. By Henry Hepburn, Tes.

Ministers have been warned that COVID could "rip" through schools when they reopen next month unless mitigation measures are brought in to protect pupils. By Samuel Lovett, The Independent.

Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, has accused the Government of "dithering" over installing air purifiers to tackle the spread of COVID in schools. By Serina Sandhu, iNews. Air purifiers and ultraviolet lights are to be trialled in 30 primary schools as part of a £1.75 million scheme to reduce transmission of COVID in classrooms. BBC News.

Robert Halfon MP, chair of the Education Select Committee, writes in The Telegraph warning "the Government still has no long-term plan to stop COVID creating an epidemic of educational poverty".

According to a US study, children born during the pandemic have significantly reduced verbal, motor and overall cognitive performance compared with children born before. By Natalie Grover, The Guardian.

Writing in The Telegraph, Tom Harris challenges opposition to independent schools, arguing "sending your children to a private school is often the socially responsible thing to do".

According to UCAS, 16,800 students have accepted deferred places at universities, with many students reportedly put off by the prospect of online lectures. By Camilla Turner and Lois Heslop, The Telegraph.

Under new LGBT inclusivity guidance issued to Scottish schools, children as young as four will be able to change their name and gender at schools without their parents' consent. The document advises teachers not to question pupils if they say they want to transition to live as a boy or a girl and to instead ask them for their new name and pronouns. By Daniel Sanderson, The Telegraph.

Figures from the NHS show that 1,560 people in England aged 18 or under have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, prompting calls for urgent action to tackle Britain's obesity crisis. By Laura Donnelly, The Telegraph.