- 25,000 pupils forced out of independent schools since Labour took power, figures show
- DfE to offer trainee teachers up to £31,000 tax-free to boost recruitment
- Quarter of white working-class boys do not read outside school, survey finds
- Conservatives to prioritise AP amid concerns for white working-class boys
- Satellite project aims to address 'imbalance in gender in the STEM field'
25,000 pupils forced out of independent schools since Labour took power, figures show
Independent sectorAlmost 25,000 pupils have been forced out of the independent sector since the general election, a survey by the Independent Schools Council (ISC) has revealed. As reported yesterday, the poll of 1,150 independent schools found a drop of 16,696 pupils since last September, while last year's survey saw a decline of 8,233 pupils after Sir Keir Starmer vowed to impose VAT on fees on "day one" of a Labour government. Speaking to The Telegraph, ISC chief executive Julie Robinson said: "The decline in pupil numbers since the general election is now at least 25,000 – over eight times the fall the government predicted by this point." Highlighting the scale of the problem, she added: "It is clear their sums do not add up on this policy, particularly when you take into account that this poll represents only open schools and so will not reflect the pupils displaced from over 80 mainstream independent schools that have closed in the past academic year." Echoing Ms Robinson's concerns, Dominic Norrish, chief executive of the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS), warned: "Tens of thousands of children are being forced out of their prep school in pursuit of an imaginary dividend, that £1.8 billion figure accelerating away from the Treasury’s grasp with every passing term." An accompanying map displays the location of the independent schools that have closed since the introduction of the VAT on fees policy. By Pieter Snepvangers.
With schools in Milan and Rome reporting an increasing number of enquiries from UK families, The Telegraph's money section looks at the growing appeal of Italian schools. The paper reports Brighton College is planning a Rome branch in 2027, having already attracted interest from "hundreds" of parents – a third of whom are British. The school is also considering openings in Milan, Lisbon, and Madrid. On the decision to establish a "legacy brand school", Richard Cairns, head of Brighton College, says: "Many in London now feel they have an alternative in another European capital." The article draws comparison with Italy's generous tax regime, with perks including a flat tax of €200,000 (£174,000) on affluent foreigners’ worldwide income and assets for up to 15 years as well as an inheritance tax exemption during that period. An accompanying table lists the British independent schools that have opened branches overseas in the past two years. By Eric Williams.
Both articles mention a number of schools in membership of the ISC's constituent associations.
DfE to offer trainee teachers up to £31,000 tax-free to boost recruitment
Recruitment and retentionThe Department for Education (DfE) has announced new financial incentives worth up to £31,000 tax-free for trainee teachers in maths, physics, chemistry and computing, in a bid to address long-standing recruitment challenges in England's schools. From 2026, bursaries and scholarships will be available to those training through both school-based and university routes, with ministers hoping to attract more individuals with science and engineering backgrounds into schools. By Anjum Peerbacos, Sky News.
Quarter of white working-class boys do not read outside school, survey finds
General educationA quarter of white working-class boys never read outside school, according to a survey carried out for the Independent Inquiry into White Working-Class Educational Outcomes. The poll, which questioned a representative sample of 2,000 parents and 2,000 children and young people, found white working-class parents are more likely to feel deeply disillusioned with their child’s school and only a third think good grades at GCSE are important for success. Speaking later today at a school improvement conference, Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, will address the "stark" findings, which "paint a sorry picture of disengagement". By Nicola Woolcock, The Times. In a separate piece, Ms Phillipson highlights the challenges facing white working-class children and stresses the need for schools, families, and government to work together. "The solutions to these generational challenges already exist out there in the thousands of wonderful schools in this country if we can just harness them," she concludes. Ms Phillipson's article appears straight after the news item.
Conservatives to prioritise AP amid concerns for white working-class boys
Education policyThe Conservative Party will focus on the role of alternative provision (AP) amid concerns about the outcomes of white working-class boys and the number of young people who are not in education or work. Addressing delegates at a fringe meeting of the party's conference in Manchester, shadow education minister Saqib Bhatti said the Conservatives want to ensure that it is understood why pupils are in AP and that the provision is adapted to meet their needs. He added that there was a need to make sure "we get young, especially white working-class boys, back into education; if they are in an alternative provision, let’s look at the fundamental issue of why that is". By John Roberts, Tes.
Satellite project aims to address 'imbalance in gender in the STEM field'
ISC schoolsCroydon High School GDST is set to become the first all-girls school in the world to send a satellite into space. Pupils at the south London school have designed and built a working satellite and hope to launch it into low-Earth orbit in the coming years. The aim of the Mission Pegasus plan is to inspire girls to pursue science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects, where females remain under-represented. The girls' mission is being guided by the school's head of physics, Arabi Karteepan, in partnership with the University of Bath. Explaining her motivation behind the project, Ms Karteepan said that showing girls something they think is impossible can, in fact, be possible is "very, very important". By Helen Drew, BBC News.