ISC Daily News Summary

Headteachers are taking references to Ofsted off their websites, job advertisements and letters in tribute to Ruth Perry, a Reading headteacher who took her own life ahead of her school's Ofsted report being published. Ms Perry's death has led to widespread calls for the reform of England's schools' inspectorate, while the Government has said the watchdog is "crucial" to maintaining standards. By Kate McGough and Rahib Khan, BBC News.

A report by the Centre for Social Justice, a centre-right think tank, has revealed more than 140,000 children were “severely absent” from school last summer. According to the study, increasing levels of anxiety have left many pupils afraid of going to classes, while the cost of living crisis has meant that some families cannot afford the cost of travelling to school. By Emma Yeomans, The Times.

According to the findings of a report by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), teacher vacancies posted by schools were 93 per cent higher in the academic year up to February 2023 than at the same point in the year before the start of the pandemic. The figures suggest staff turnover is still rising, with vacancies in schools in England up 37 per cent compared with 2021/22. By Sally Weale, The Guardian.

Writing in Tes, NFER's school workforce lead Jack Worth calls on the Government to implement a "long-term strategy on teacher pay to tackle the growing crisis and improve the competitiveness of teacher pay".

In a submission to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), which recommends rates of teacher pay in England, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has called for a “significant increase” to all teacher pay ranges from September. Keen to reverse the “significant real-term decline” in teacher pay rates, the union is seeking a “long-term commitment to funding over a number of years”. By Matilda Martin and Callum Mason, Tes.

According to Tes, EIS teaching union members at Hutchesons' Grammar School have indicated their willingness to take strike action over a proposal to remove them from the Scottish Teachers’ Pension Scheme (STPS). The NASUWT has claimed that if the school is successful, other Scottish independent schools are likely to follow suit. By Emma Seith. The article quotes a spokesperson from the school, who says “a generous defined contribution scheme” has been offered in place of the STPS.

Research published recently by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has shown that prospective lawyers undertaking apprenticeships are much more likely to pass the new qualifying exam than those who have taken the academic course and subsequent training contract. By Jonathan Ames, The Times.

Speaking at the 2023 World Education Summit, director general of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Olli-Pekka Heinonen outlined five key issues facing international schools and offered advice on how best to prepare for changes ahead. By Dan Worth, Tes.