ISC Daily News Summary

Joe Spence, master of Dulwich College and co-director of the Southwark Schools Learning Partnership, writes to The Times in response to Robert Verkaik's article on social mobility within the legal profession. Outlining the range of benefits arising from cross-sector partnerships, Dr Spence writes that, rather than barring access, independent school networks can be an "engine of social mobility". The letter can be found halfway down the page.

According to the government’s research into the impact of the cost of living crisis on the childcare sector, one in 10 childcare providers in England is facing closure and more than half are finding it difficult to cover their costs. The findings are likely to raise concerns about the capacity of the sector to grow to meet the government’s £4 billion expansion to its free childcare offer, which was outlined in this year's budget. By Sally Weale, The Guardian.

The prime minister has said it is "ridiculous" that vapes, illegal to be sold to under-18s, are promoted to children, as he pledges to look at ways to tighten marketing rules. Speaking to ITV's This Morning, Rishi Sunak said he didn't want his daughters to be "seduced by these things". BBC News.

Tes explores the increasing popularity of vocational qualifications (VQs) in music, following concerns from sector bodies amid years of waning interest in the subject at GCSE and A-level. A spokesperson from Pearson explains a possible reason for the rise in music VQs: “This may be because the rise of accessible music creation software and new music-making technology, for example, has attracted young people who create and perform music in new ways." By Dan Worth.

Writing in Independent Schools Magazine, James Polansky, executive headteacher at Boundary Oak School, explains why lessons in entrepreneurship have been introduced at the school and why he believes the subject needs to be given more prominence in the curriculum.