ISC Daily News Summary

The New Statesman has published a number of letters from readers commenting on Melissa Dene's recent article about her visits to "three of England's most exclusive schools", in which she explored Labour's plans to impose VAT on school fees. Highlighting the diversity of the sector, president of the Independent Schools Association (ISA) Lord Lexden argues that Ms Dene should have chosen a "more representative sample" for the purposes of her research. Referencing the 650 schools in membership of the ISA, Lord Lexden writes: "They are virtually unknown outside their local communities, which they serve faithfully alongside colleagues in the state sector, in some cases as part of organised partnership projects in music, drama, sport, the arts and specialist subject teaching." On Labour's plans to add VAT to school fees, which will impact both the independent and state sectors, Lord Lexden asks: "Has any significant support for Labour’s punitive tax proposal been voiced by state schools?"

Melvyn Roffe, principal of George Watson's College, has also contributed to the debate to emphasise the significant cross-sector partnership work taking place across the UK. Mr Roffe criticises The New Statesman's "sadly predictable" article, which he saw as "making the case against the sector", and calls for a potential Labour government to work with, rather than against, independent schools "to secure real, tangible benefits for the 93 per cent of pupils who do not attend private schools". He adds: "I am confident that those benefits would far outweigh any that might result from charging VAT on fees. And Labour would be working with the grain of the majority of independent schools and the vast majority of my colleagues who lead them." The letters appear at the top of the page.

Ministers on the Education Select Committee have been told recruitment into teaching is at "crisis levels", with the profession no longer seen as "family friendly as it once was". Addressing the committee, experts from think tanks including the Institute for Government (IfG) pointed to sectors outside education that are offering more options for flexible working and are subsequently driving competition for employees seeking to work around their family commitments. By Eleanor Busby, The Independent.

The relaunched School Cuts website has estimated that 99 per cent of secondary schools will be unable to deal with the increasing costs they are facing. Analysis by the website, which is run by several teaching unions, also shows that nine in 10 primary schools (91 per cent) will struggle as a result of next year's cost-cutting measures. By Matilda Martin, Tes. 

Unveiling the results of a study on early childhood yesterday, the Princess of Wales revealed that Prince Louis helped create a “feelings wheel” in class, demonstrating that schools are keen to engage in conversations on mental health. The princess said that nurturing social and emotional skills was “just as valuable to our long-term success as reading, writing or arithmetic”. By Victoria Ward, The Telegraph. 

As part of a new Tes series, James Worland, principal of an international school in Kuala Lumpur, considers the rise of "affluent neglect" and how schools are managing the challenge of working with a diverse array of pupil cohorts. On serious safeguarding concerns such as child abuse, Mr Worland advises schools to "adhere to local laws and international best practices, even if cultural differences may pose challenges". Reference is made to the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) as an organisation proactive in sharing information related to safeguarding.