ISC Daily News Summary

Thetford Grammar School, which traces its origins back to AD 631, will be closing at the end of this term, The Telegraph has learned. Citing the impact of increasing financial pressures, the school's board said in a statement that "the cumulative impact of the 20 per cent VAT tariff on school fees, the removal of business rates relief, increased employer pension contributions, and the rising of the minimum wage and operating costs has placed an unsustainable pressure on the school". Nearly half of pupils at the school had special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) last year, according to the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). Writing to parents on Monday, the school's chairman Jay Liu added that it had been "an extremely difficult decision". The article references figures from the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which show more than 100 independent schools have announced they will close since the introduction of Labour's new tax policy last year. By Poppy Wood. 

The item is also covered by the Daily Express, which quotes Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC, who said previously that the VAT policy was a "bridge too far" for many schools. Ms Robinson warned in January that more closures would come as the impact of VAT and other tax measures mount up. By Jon King. 

Teaching children in classes grouped by ability improves the results of high-flyers but does not affect the progress of less able children, according to research by University College London’s Institute of Education that overturns decades of debate on mixed-ability education. Backed by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), the study found that secondary school pupils in England with previously strong maths performances made slower progress in mixed-attainment classes than when they were taught alongside pupils with similarly high ability. It also revealed that setting by ability did not "significantly harm the attainment of low-prior-attaining or socioeconomically disadvantaged" pupils. By Richard Adams, The Guardian.

Digital literacy should be taught in schools across the curriculum, according to AQA. In a report published today, the exam board warns that although young people are digitally active, they are not consistently safe or confident online. Commenting on the findings, Colin Hughes, AQA's CEO, said that unless digital literacy is taught alongside numeracy and literacy, "we risk leaving young people unprepared for the demands of modern life and work". By John Roberts, Tes. 

Far fewer young children are reading for pleasure, although BookTok and YouTube are helping to boost reading among teenage boys, research by HarperCollins has found. Only 32 per cent of five- to 10-year-olds read daily for pleasure, down from 55 per cent in 2012. Among 14- to 17-year-olds, finding books through BookTok (the TikTok community of readers) rose from 23 per cent in 2024 to 27 per cent last year. A report by the publisher says relentless emphasis on literacy targets at school is harming reading for pleasure, and parents need to understand that advancing their child’s literacy and nurturing leisure reading require different approaches. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times. 

In a lengthy feature, Tes explores how falling pupil numbers are putting significant pressure on school funding. For the most part, falling rolls present a number of problems for schools to navigate, but some leaders believe they also bring advantages. On the "silver linings" of falling rolls, Tim Purser, headteacher of St Francis’ Catholic Primary School in North Somerset describes an "absolutely amazing sensory room for our children with SEND", which includes specialist lighting and furniture. "I couldn’t provide that space if we needed it for a class", he adds. By Ellen Peirson-Hagger, Tes.