ISC Daily News Summary

According to a study from researchers at Imperial College London and Ipsos Mori, COVID infection rates among children aged five to 11 are three times those in the general population. By Nick Duffy, iNews.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has recommended that five to 11-year-olds with certain underlying health conditions should be offered the COVID vaccine, although it has not suggested that jabs be offered to the age group more widely because it needs to consider more data. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

Clare Othman, managing director of Supply Desk - a supply teacher agency - has warned that retired teachers offering to ease school staffing issues are unlikely to be in classrooms when schools reopen due to a backlog of potential supply teachers waiting for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. By Hazel Shearing, BBC News.

Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell is to return to teaching following a call for more help in schools hit by COVID-related shortages. Ms Ansell said: "I wanted to help during what will be tough months for our education system in the new year." BBC News.

Clare Wagner, head at Henrietta Barnett - a grammar school in north London - has said that older pupils must be allowed to attend school and sit exams this summer even if there is another lockdown. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.

Christine Cunniffe, headteacher at LVS Ascot, appeared on GB News yesterday to discuss proposals for pupils to sit GCSE exams early and curriculum reform. Click here to watch the interview, which starts at 37:35.

Independent Education Today takes a closer look at what schools and educators can do to prepare students for careers of the future. By Carl Morris.

According to official figures from the Department for Education (DfE), almost a third of all children on free school meals in England benefited from government-sponsored activities and free meals over the summer holidays. By Richard Adams, The Guardian.

The Daily News Summary will be taking a break over the festive period, with today's DNS (23 December) being the last of 2021. Normal service will resume on Tuesday 4 January, 2022.

From everyone at the Independent Schools Council, we would like to thank school leaders, teachers and support staff for their hard work and dedication throughout another difficult year. We wish you all a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.