ISC Daily News Summary

Nadhim Zahawi has warned that "school attendance remains mandatory" following reports that some headteachers have started to send entire year groups home early for Christmas. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

The education secretary has unveiled a new 17-member “attendance alliance” which will work to reduce absence from schools. Mr Zahawi said that the alliance will make sure that anyone working on the ground with children will have "the tools and resources they need to break down barriers to children attending school". By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

According to a report by Teach First, which ran the Government's academic mentors scheme in 2020-21, about 20 per cent of schools used Government-funded academic mentors to provide teaching cover last year to combat “particularly high” staff absences. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

An analysis of data from the latest national reference test by Ofqual has found that students’ progress in maths at GCSE level has been thrown into reverse by the pandemic, adding that performance is now “closer to the level seen in 2017”. By Tom Belger, Schools Week.

In the latest ISC Spotlight On blog, John Smith, director of partnerships at the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle, explains how the school has been working with local industry and foundations to fund partnerships teachers.

The PIE News reports boarding schools in the UK have been "working flat out" to support their pupils from red list countries by making arrangements for them to be able to quarantine at school at the start of next term. By Viggo Stacey.

According to a survey from Sport England, black children are the least likely to be physically active mainly because they are twice as likely to come from less affluent families living in deprived areas with less access to outdoor spaces. By Sally Weale, The Guardian.

Ian Bauckham, CEO of the Tenax Schools Trust, has been appointed as permanent chair of Ofqual, after being the organisation’s interim chair for the past year. By Samantha Booth, Schools Week.

The Language Trends Wales report, which reviews foreign language trends, has found that by 2030 schools in Wales could have fewer than 100 French and German GCSE entries. BBC News.

According to Schools Week, four of the five schools that provided figures on T-levels missed recruitment goals this year. Adam Reynolds, computer science head and T-levels lead at Painsley Catholic College, in Staffordshire, said “there needs to be a massive drive from Government to raise awareness” about the new qualifications. By Billy Camden, Schools Week.