ISC Daily News Summary

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has urged the Government to remove the Russian energy supplier Gazprom from a government service that helps schools switch energy suppliers as a "matter of urgency", in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. By Callum Mason, Tes.

Seven National Tutoring Programme (NTP) providers have written to ministers warning that the decision to remove the 65 per cent pupil premium target will “only serve to widen the attainment gap”. By Samantha Booth, Schools Week.

The Government has announced that Gavin Williamson, the former education secretary, has been given a knighthood. The announcement has sparked criticism from opposition MPs and some union leaders who claim he did "an abominable job" on schools policy during the pandemic. By Lucy Fisher, The Telegraph.

School leaders and teachers have warned that advanced information on exams and 'generous' marking will not be enough to ensure fairness amid evidence that students have experienced varying levels of disruption to their learning over the past two years. By Helen Chapman, Tes.

According to a Cambridge study, the ancient history GCSE is unpopular because pupils think it is "posh" and "elitist". Dr Frances Foster, from the faculty of education at the University of Cambridge, warned "we should be worried that so many of the students who actually get to study it feel so uncomfortable about the idea". By Craig Simpson, The Telegraph.

Writing in The Times, Rachel Sylvester argues the National Theatre’s school tour is “broadening horizons and creating opportunities through the arts”.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has warned that children’s education is being eroded by financial pressures triggering staff cuts and scaled-back curriculums, with local authority-run secondary schools among the worst hit. By Sally Weale, The Guardian.

The Government is expected to set an ambition for all state-maintained schools to become academies by 2030, with ministers drawing up plans to incentivise schools to convert. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.