ISC Daily News Summary

The Independent Schools Council (ISC) will take legal action against the government's tax plans for independent schools, following a Board vote yesterday afternoon. The ISC's statement can be read in full here. 

Lord Pannick KC, a leading barrister in cases relating to government decisions, has been enlisted to lead the challenge on behalf of parents, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The ISC hopes for a judicial review of the policy, which will focus on claims of breaches of the European Convention on Human Rights. Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC, said: "We continue to ask the government to work with us to mitigate the risks of this policy on specialist arts education, on low-fee faith schools, on small girls’ schools and on children with SEND." By Kate McGough and Vanessa Clarke, BBC News. This story has also been covered by The Times, The Telegraph, The Independent, Daily Mail, The Guardian, Tes, Schools Week and Independent School Management Plus.

In an interview with BBC News 24, Julie Robinson discussed the potential impact of the VAT policy, and explained why the decision to move forward with legal action had been taken. She said: "All throughout this debate, our focus has been on children in our schools who would be negatively impacted by the policy - that remains our focus. We're going to be defending the rights of families who have chosen independent education, but who may no longer be able to do so as a direct result of VAT on their fees." Ms Robinson also discussed the issue on BBC Radio 5 Live Drive, BBC Radio 4 - The World Tonight, Times Radio and LBC.

In a written question to the Treasury, Alison Taylor, Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, asked the chancellor "if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) introducing transitional arrangements for and (b) delaying implementation of her policy on VAT on school fees in Scotland".

Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury James Murray replied, saying: "Whilst developing these policies, the Government has carefully considered the impact that they will have on pupils and their families across both the state and private sector, as well as the impact they will have on state and private schools. This consideration includes the impacts of these changes across all four nations of the UK. The Government has additionally engaged extensively with all the devolved Governments, including the Scottish Government, on this issue." Hansard.

Sky News reports a proposal to ban smartphones in schools has been dropped, after the government refused to support a change in the law. The proposal, put forward by Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington Josh MacAlister, aimed to stop children from "doom-scrolling" online. It is understood the MP has removed this element of the Safer Phones Bill in the hope the government will support its other aspects, which include raising the age of "internet adulthood" from 13 to 16. By Alexandra Rogers.

According to police figures supplied to the NSPCC, Snapchat is the most widely-used platform for online grooming. The messaging app made up nearly half of the 1,824 cases of sexual communication with a child, where the specific platform used for the grooming was recorded by the police. The children's charity said the findings show society is "still waiting for tech companies to make their platforms safe for children". By Imran Rahman-Jones, BBC News. 

"If we want to improve SEND, we'll need to review the quality of whole-school inclusion," argues Margaret Mulholland, the special educational needs and inclusion specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders. Citing the example of The Marvell College in Hull, which improved results and outcomes for pupils with SEND by introducing a SEND champions programme, she writes "it's a powerful demonstration of a methodology that many schools see as a game-changer: system change at a whole-school level over time, rather than simply seeing SEND as a target for intervention". Tes.

Primary schools, secondary schools, and universities across the country are ordering an increasing amount of white poppies to sell this Remembrance period, as pupils and teachers look to support those caught in the conflict in the Middle East. White poppies represent remembrance for all victims of war, both civilian and military; challenge militarism; and promote a commitment to peace. By Danielle Sheridan, The Telegraph.