ISC Daily News Summary

BBC News reports parents and carers of five to 11-year-olds in England can now book a low-dose COVID vaccine for their children.

A new Ofsted report looking at how children are recovering from the pandemic has found that children have little stamina for handwriting and struggle to use devices that are not touchscreen, while some babies cannot interpret facial expressions. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.

According to Tes, school leaders and unions have called for "more help" from the Government as increasing COVID disruption is leading to schools overspending their supply budgets by up to three times in some cases. By Matilda Martin.

Labour shadow schools minister Stephen Morgan has asked the Government to explain why Randstad, the firm operating the National Tutoring Programme, was given an extra £7 million of public money last year, at a time when it was coming under criticism. By Callum Mason, Tes.

The Times takes a closer look at some of the British independent and state schools that have made free places available to Ukrainian refugees, including Colfe's School. By Emma Yeomans.

Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi has said that councils should work with newly arrived Ukrainian families to ensure children can attend school as soon as possible, going above published admission numbers or exceeding infant class sizes "where necessary". By Catherine Lough, The Independent.

In an interview with The Telegraph's Chopper's Politics podcast, education secretary Nadhim Zahawi has said that young people should not be dismissed as "snowflakes", and that they should be allowed to study challenging books such as 'To Kill a Mockingbird' which features the "N-word". By Christopher Hope.

According to The Telegraph, some academics have warned that children's education could be damaged if it is "hijacked" by those who favour the 'decolonisation' of the history curriculum. By Ewan Somerville.

According to The Guardian, special schools in England are struggling to access crucial government funding to offset rising staff salaries and soaring fuel costs as a result of a “postcode lottery”. By Rachel Hall.

Cameron Wyllie, a former Scottish independent school headteacher, has said he feels acts of worship have no place in morning assemblies, suggesting that a US-style “no prayer” policy should be adopted. By Mark Macaskill, The Sunday Times.

The Telegraph reports that a survey funded by the Welsh Government is asking children as young as 13 when they first had sex, with all mainstream secondary schools in Wales being invited to participate in the student health and wellbeing survey run by the School Health Research Network. By Ewan Somerville.