ISC Daily News Summary

The Department for Education has confirmed that the in-school COVID vaccination programme is to end this Friday. By Matilda Martin, Tes.

According to iNews, a number of top UK universities have changed the contracts they make students sign at the start of the year to protect against claims for refunds if teaching is disrupted by COVID-19. By Will Hazell.

The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), has estimated that schools in 23 countries, with 405 million pupils, are still partially or fully closed because of COVID. By Branwen Jeffreys, BBC News.

Ministers are to launch a new national behaviour survey as part of plans outlined in the schools white paper to improve standards and lift attainment in schools in England. By Sally Weale, The Guardian.

According to a new poll from Teacher Tapp, more than three quarters of teachers are already providing the support that the Government white paper has made central to its 'Parent Pledge'. By John Roberts, Tes.

Leading education figures have warned that the white paper could result in a watering down of the pupil premium's focus on supporting the most disadvantaged pupils. James Turner, CEO of The Sutton Trust, said: "Resources are already thinly stretched and every decision on how the pupil premium is spent must be justified in terms of supporting better outcomes for the poorest pupils." By Callum Mason, Tes.

The education secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, has told MPs at the House of Commons that the Government will not repeat the “mistakes of past reforms” to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision, after publishing the long-awaited SEND review. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

During a House of Lords debate on 'Creative Subjects and the English Baccalaureate', Lord Lexden, president of the Independent Schools Association, asked whether in light of data on the falling number of music taught in years 7 to 13 it is "all the more important that independent schools work closely with their maintained sector colleagues to increase still further the 655 music partnership schemes from which students in both sectors benefit so greatly?" In response, Baroness Barran, parliamentary under-secretary of state for the school system, said: "We very much welcome the partnerships from the independent sector in music and many other areas, and my noble friend is right to highlight them." Hansard.

The Guardian has published an open letter signed by 17 children's charities calling for better safeguarding training in schools after a black schoolgirl was strip-searched. The letter said: "Safeguarding training and relevant guidance for all teachers needs to be reviewed and strengthened, in line with the reviewers' recommendations."

A new study from Ofcom has revealed that children as young as five are using social media, despite most platforms having rules stating that users must be over the age of 13. BBC News.

Tes reports that funding from the Scottish Government for the Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) will decrease by £16.5 million in the coming year, from approximately £147 million in 2021-22 to £130.5 million in 2022-23. By Emma Seith.