ISC Daily News Summary

In an interview with BBC London following the announcement that Bishop Challoner School is set to close, Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), commented on the growing pressures facing independent schools. She said: "They worked through Covid, they worked through the cost of living crisis, rising costs and inflation, and for many of these schools what they're telling us is that VAT on independent school fees at a rate of 20 per cent, being rushed in mid-year in January this year, is just a step too far for them – and that's what's tipped them over the edge."  

Four teachers of ballroom, Latin, and "dancercise" classes have lost an appeal against HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) after they were ordered to pay VAT bills of more than £93,000 collectively. Neil Harrison, chief executive of the British DanceSport Association, told The Telegraph he is in "active dialogue" with the Treasury and the prime minister to challenge the tax policy, adding: "The implementation of this policy is both unfair and unjust. It appears to be in direct contradiction to publicly stated government policy promoting health, physical fitness and wellbeing, objectives to which the discipline of dance makes an invaluable contribution." By Pieter Snepvangers and Madeleine Ross. 

A quarter of teachers have said pupils are taking the "zombie drug" spice and some youngsters are even getting high in school, a survey by the NASUWT has found. Other children are taking ketamine, cocaine and cannabis on school grounds, drinking alcohol and using gambling apps, according to the teaching union's survey of almost 4,000 teachers. Urging ministers to take more action to tackle the use of harmful substances and activities both in and out of school, Matt Wrack, acting general secretary of NASUWT, warned: "This is clearly not an issue that schools can solve alone." By Nicola Woolcock, The Times. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots may risk making people less intelligent by hindering the development of critical thinking, memory, and language skills, according to analysis by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Researchers found that individuals who relied on ChatGPT to write essays showed lower brain activity compared to those who completed the task using only their own thinking. The group that used AI also performed worse than the "brain-only" participants in a series of assessments. By Matthew Field, The Telegraph.

Writing in Tes, Chris Woolf, senior international director at Wellington College, describes how being a governor at a local primary school has become one of the most valuable professional learning opportunities of his career. Mr Woolf shares how the role has reshaped his approach to meetings, data sharing, staff involvement, and celebrating success. Encouraging colleagues to take on the role of governorship if the opportunity presents itself, he concludes: "The chance to engage with someone operating in the same role and learn from each other is never a bad thing."