ISC Daily News Summary

According to Tes, the Joint Council of Qualifications (JCQ) has said that schools will be able to apply for a special consideration exemption if pupils with long COVID experience a decline in their condition during the exam period. By Matilda Martin.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has confirmed that changes to the way pupils were assessed during the pandemic will continue next year. BBC News.

The latest Tes podcast features an open and honest assessment of how the pandemic has put safeguarding back at the top of the agenda. By Dan Worth.

Bestselling author Julia Donaldson tells The Telegraph about her fears that COVID restrictions have damaged a generation of children. By Rosa Silverman.

A report by former children’s commissioner Anne Longfield has said that exclusions from primary school should be banned by 2026. By Catherine Lough, The Independent.

Annual research looking at the reading habits of children has found that three of the top 10 favourite books for secondary pupils were graphic novels. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.

A study by the Department for Education (DfE) covering “school leadership in England 2010 to 2020: characteristics and trends” has found female, non-white and part-time staff are significantly less likely to be promoted to headteacher roles. By Tom Belger, Schools Week.

Writing in The Telegraph, Katharine Birbalsingh, headmistress of Michaela Schoo​l and chair of the Social Mobility Commission, hits out at "bad-faith commentators" for their interpretation of comments she made about why girls at her school are reluctant to study physics at A-level.

A report from the Commission on Young Lives in England has said that black children are more likely to face tougher punishments in schools because they are viewed as "less innocent" and more adult-like. By Adina Campbell, BBC News.

Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), is set to use his speech at the union's annual conference today to claim the Government’s failings are making it harder for schools to produce well-rounded young people. By Sally Weale, The Guardian.