ISC Daily News Summary

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, has said the Government must be on "high alert and ready to react quickly" to curb COVID outbreaks in schools, after it emerged that more than 100,000 children were absent with confirmed or suspected infections last week. By Richard Adams, The Guardian.

According to figures from the Department for Education, more than nine in 10 state school pupils in England were in class last week. By Will Hazell, iNews.

Maggie Throup, the vaccines minister, has condemned "threats and intimidation" against school staff, after Liz Kendall, Labour's shadow health minister, warned of "deeply concerning and troubling" abuse being aimed at school leaders over the vaccination of 12 to 15-year-olds. By Ewan Somerville, The Telegraph.

According to The Telegraph, health officials have had to correct "easy read" consent forms distributed to 12 to 15-year-olds, which claim having a COVID vaccine will free them from government rules that apply to the unvaccinated. By Laura Donnelly.

A new survey has found that two thirds of adults in the UK have seen an improvement in their children's mood since they returned to school this month. By Tom Bawden, iNews.

According to Tes, the National Reference Test will be used to measure the impact of the pandemic on pupils' education in 2022, though it remains unclear whether it will shape next year's exam grades. By Catherine Lough.

A new survey by the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) and Tooled Up Education has found that the majority of prep school staff are worried about pupils' screen time, mental health and social skills, following the impact of COVID disruption on schools. By Irena Barker, Independent School Management Plus. The article quotes Christopher King, chief executive of IAPS.

An editorial piece in The Guardian reflects on the children's commissioner's call for a major funding boost for schools, adding "Dame Rachel's focus on mental health is welcome, as is her recognition that young people are entitled to expect more from the Government".

Pupils starting media studies GCSEs this year will study the media impact of Marcus Rashford's food campaign as part of the AQA syllabus. By Branwen Jeffreys, BBC News.

The Scottish Government has been met with criticism after figures from the Scottish Qualifications Authority highlighted a gap in the proportion of Higher A grades awarded to independent schools when compared to state schools. By John-Paul Holden, The Herald. The article references a quote from John Edward, director of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools.

Tes reports the gap in the Higher pass rate between state and independent schools more than halved between 2019 and 2020, dropping to 8.9 percentage points. By Emma Seith.

Rufus Norris, artistic director of the National Theatre, writes in The Times reflecting on the impact of COVID disruption on children. He argues "the arts, as part of a broad approach to creative learning, offer an unrivalled opportunity to support young people in the recovery".

An article in The Telegraph explains how families can use their homes to fund school fees, either through an equity release or a remortgage. By Harry Brennan.