ISC Daily News Summary

According to iNews, headteachers are struggling with staff absence rates of 10 per cent or more as schools across the UK reopen for the spring term. By Will Hazell.

Rachael Warwick, executive headteacher of the Ridgeway Education Trust writes for The Guardian on what can be done to better support schools and colleges through the pandemic.

According to Schools Week, five teaching unions plan to challenge schools that choose to combine classes amid staff shortages, claiming that it will “increase virus transmission” and lead to “further disruption”. By Freddie Whittaker.

Child development experts have warned about the effect long-term use of face masks might have on children's “psychosocial development”. By Luke Mintz, The Telegraph.

Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland, has said that Scottish ministers are “deluding themselves” by claiming that there will be enough staff to deliver effective learning and that children will face a return to online lessons. By Mark McLaughlin, The Times.

Katharine Birbalsingh, chair of the Social Mobility Commission, has advised parents not to assume their children are being taught well at school. Ms Birbalsingh tweeted: "Teach them after school daily. Always. Other parents do, they just aren’t telling you." By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.

iNews features an in-depth interview with Katharine Birbalsingh following her appointment as the new chair of the Social Mobility Commission.

Ms Birbalsingh, who is also the founder and head of Michaela Community School, said she regrets saying that children must be taught to be good because of “Original Sin”, adding that the comment was taken out of context by detractors. Will Hazell, iNews.

The Association of School and College Leaders Cymru has said that changes to exams in Wales due to COVID must not be made at the "last minute" because it would be "deeply unfair" to students who have already had such disruption. By Sian Elin Dafydd, BBC News.

Laura May Rowlands, head of English in a secondary school in Hampshire, offers tips on what teachers can do to help students who write nothing in an exam. Tes.

According to research conducted by Sapio Research on behalf of education show, Bett, almost three quarters of parents of young children approve of them being given access to technology before starting school. By Julian Owen, Independent Education Today.