ISC Daily News Summary

iNews reports that Labour's plans to charge VAT on independent school fees could mean deprived children may lose out on places at state grammar schools. Speaking to the paper, headteachers at a number of leading grammar schools said they feared the policy could spark a surge in competition for selective state schools, which would benefit more affluent families living closer to classrooms and able to pay for private tutoring. One, anonymous, leading figure in the grammar school sector said they had “noticed already in some parts of the country a bit of an uptick in sixth-form applications from people already at private schools”. By Poppy Wood.

A survey has found that individuals who attended an independent school are more likely to say they learned about pensions at school (20 per cent) than those who were state educated (six per cent). According to the findings of the survey of 4,000 adults, which was carried out by OnePoll on behalf of Annuity Ready, 42 per cent of independently educated 35 to 44-year-olds said they reviewed their pension pot at least once a year, compared with 17 per cent of of state school educated peers of the same age. By Vicky Shaw, The Independent.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak will announce today that disposable vapes are set to be banned across the UK as part of plans to tackle the rising number of children taking up vaping. Measures will also be brought in to stop vapes being marketed at young people and to target underage sales. By Hugh Pym, Phillipa Roxby and James Gregory, BBC News.

An undercover investigation by The Sunday Times has found that 15 Russell Group universities are asking UK students to meet higher entry requirements than international applicants. Representatives of the Russell Group universities were secretly filmed discussing the “back door” routes used to recruit international students, who pay higher fees than applicants from the UK. By Jonathan Calvert, George Arbuthnott and Venetia Menzies. 

The Telegraph also covers the story, reporting that universities minister Robert Halfon is understood to have held talks with university leaders over the claims, which include foreign students being able to buy their way onto highly competitive degree courses with just a few C grades at GCSE. By Louisa Clarence-Smith.

Christian parents have written to the Most Reverend Justin Welby asking him to scrap the Church of England (CofE) guidance that says children can change their gender in school. They are calling on the Archbishop of Canterbury to withdraw the guidance, “Valuing All God’s Children”, which advises schools on how to create an inclusive environment for “transgender” pupils. By Louisa Clarence-Smith, The Telegraph. 

A CofE primary school allowed a four-year-old boy to join as a girl, The Telegraph reports. The child’s sex was hidden from classmates, who were described by parents as traumatised when they found out. Education secretary Gillian Keegan and women and equalities minister Kemi Badenoch are both understood to be concerned by the situation and have pledged to intervene. By Louisa Clarence-Smith and Allison Pearson.

Helen Boobis, an assistant head teacher at Roedean School, has warned that Ukrainian teenagers living in Britain are struggling to apply to universities because their immigration status is not recognised. Ms Boobis said that three of Roedean's pupils had lived in Sussex for the past 18 months and should not be treated as international students. Urging UCAS to provide clarity, she explained: "When they put Ukraine as their address, that blocked their ability to answer some questions as UK students or to easily communicate their humanitarian status." By Nicola Woolcock, The Times. 

State schools are "off-rolling" weak pupils a few months before their GCSE exams in an attempt to protect the overall results, according to The Sunday Times. Figures from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) reveal a significant rise in the number of Year 11 pupils excluded from mainstream schools and referred to pupil referral units (PRUs) in January last year, with pupils taken off the register just before the date at which their results would count in official league tables. By Sian Griffiths.

In light of the school's recent success with Oxbridge offers, executive principal of Harris Westminster Sixth Form James Handscombe shares his education strategy for the academy, which is supported by Westminster School. He tells The Times: “We fill their [pupils'] worlds with learning and an expectation of learning. Learning is something they want to do. They are encouraged to be curious, to ask questions, to respond well to questions, not just answer them.” By Nicola Woolcock.

In a statement on social media, Vicky Pritt-Roberts, acting head of Ellesmere College, announced that Brendan Wignall died on Friday 26 January. Ms Pritt-Roberts said: "It is with a profound sadness I must inform you that Brendan Wignall, headmaster of Ellesmere College, has died after a battle with cancer. His untimely death will come as a shock to staff, parents, students, and ex-students, many of whom have not known any other headmaster, such was the longevity of his tenure over 27 years. Our thoughts and prayers are with Brendan’s wife Anne and children Catherine and Hugh." By David Tooley, Shropshire Star.

Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), with whom Brendan had worked closely as a member of the finance committee, said: "On behalf of everyone at the ISC, I would like to extend my sincerest condolences to Brendan's wife, family and the community at Ellesmere. He served on ISC’s board and finance committee with wisdom and candour. We will miss him very much.”