ISC Daily News Summary

Schools across the country are warning parents that children could be sent home before the summer holidays because of COVID-related staff absences. By Louisa Clarence-Smith, The Telegraph

Nadhim Zahawi, the education secretary, told MPs at the House of Commons that he does not think “any teacher would want to strike” after the damage the pandemic has done to pupils. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

A joint letter from 250 business leaders shown to The Times has raised concerns that schools are failing students by not adequately equipping them with the entrepreneurial skills they need for work. By James Hurley, The Times.

The education secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, has warned that transgender issues should not be taught to children without their parents’ knowledge, adding: "There are clear requirements on schools in relation to providing parents with information about a school’s curriculum." By Dominic Penna, The Telegraph.

In a letter to The Times, Zinnia Wilkinson, director of pastoral care at Malvern St James Girls’ School, responds to an article discussing the rise of ‘subtle bullying’ among teenage girls. Ms Wilkinson argues “it is wiser for parents to be sounding boards than fixers for daughters who are anxious about friendships”, adding: "Girls need to learn to navigate their own way through the choppy waters of female friendship." The letter can be found towards the end of the page.

According to The Telegraph, graduates will be less likely to get a first-class degree next year, as Universities UK and GuildHE are set to announce plans to reverse pandemic grade inflation. By Louisa Clarence-Smith.

Joseph Coelho, the new children's laureate, has suggested pupils should be taught to write poetry rather than just read it, adding: “I’m all up for analysing poetry but not everyone is, and if that’s your only introduction to poetry I think it’s an awful shame." By Anita Singh, The Telegraph.

Laca, the school food caterers’ association, has warned that some school caterers have started using more processed food while others have switched from British meat to meat from abroad as a result of rising food costs. By Louisa Clarence-Smith, The Telegraph.

According to an analysis by Access Education of posts made in May on The Student Room, the UK’s largest online student community, students taking GCSEs in ancient languages reported the highest levels of stress in the recent round of exams. By Julian Owen, Independent Education Today.