ISC Daily News Summary

The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) is yet to share the latest data showing how many pupils it has helped, despite being asked to by MPs six weeks ago. By Samantha Booth, Schools Week.

In a House of Lords debate yesterday, Lord Lexden, president of the Independent Schools Association, asked the Government what assessment it had made of the NTP, adding: "Why have the Government not done more to involve independent schools? They want to play their part in this programme, in the spirit of the partnership between the two sectors of education which we all want to encourage.” In response, Baroness Barran, acknowledged the cross-sector partnerships taking place, and said: “We have very much followed the advice we were given by state-funded schools about structuring the programme.” Hansard.

According to analysis by the TUC, almost a third of teachers worked unpaid overtime in 2021. The figure has prompted concerns over teacher “burnout” and an exodus of newly qualified teachers leaving the profession. By Matilda Martin, Tes.

The examinations regulation service Ofqual has warned that exam boards may lose talented staff to “burnout” after two years of cancelled tests and constant change. By Samantha Booth, Schools Week.

According to Schools Week, almost a fifth of school requests to defer Ofsted inspections this term due to COVID were declined. By James Carr.

Universities minister Michelle Donelan has confirmed that proposals to move to a post-qualification admissions system, whereby students would receive university offers once they obtained their final grades, have been scrapped. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

The Guardian takes a detailed look at the proposed changes to post-18 education funding and their effects. By Richard Adams.

iNews reports that the Government's decision to lower the threshold for graduates repaying student loans will result in those on lower and middle incomes losing more than £15,000. By Will Hazell.

David Robinson, director of post-16 and skills at the Education Policy Institute, writes for Tes suggesting that a requirement for students to achieve grade 4 English and maths GCSE to access university funding would risk narrowing the curriculum and putting “immense pressure” on teachers.

Michael Shanks, a modern studies teacher in Scotland, writes for Tes on his approach to teaching young people about the crisis in Ukraine. Mr Shanks said "it is vital that young people are engaged in a meaningful way with events like this".