ISC Daily News Summary

The number of children at independent schools has fallen by 30,000 since the introduction of Labour's VAT on fees policy and by 20,000 in the past year, according to figures from the Independent Schools Council's (ISC) latest census, due to be published later this month. Shared with The Times, the figures show pupil numbers are down by 6.6 per cent in some year groups, with far fewer families choosing to enrol at the start of primary, prep school or sixth form. Direct comparison of schools that completed the survey this year and last year shows the biggest proportional drops were at the start of sixth form and Year 1 of primary. Primaries and preps exhibited a larger overall fall in numbers (five per cent) than secondaries up to GCSE year (3.3 per cent). The paper notes that government officials predicted independent school numbers would fall by 37,000 in the long run due to VAT, but they are already 30,000 lower. Commenting on the figures, Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC, told The Times: "Behind these figures are families facing difficult financial decisions and schools working hard to preserve the opportunities, expertise and support that parents value. These trends demonstrate that policy decisions can have real consequences for families’ educational choices." Echoing the concerns, shadow schools minister Saqib Bhatti said: "Children and families are paying the cost of a policy that is disrupting education without delivering the benefits Labour promised." A number of schools in membership of the ISC's constituent associations are mentioned. By Nicola Woolcock. 

Julie Robinson was interviewed by Anna Foster on BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning on the impact of the government's VAT on fees policy and figures from the ISC's latest annual census. On the question of why pupil numbers have fallen, Ms Robinson said: "We know there is a range of factors at play... but this change is the biggest reduction in pupil numbers across independent schools since ISC records began, and it can't be explained by demographic changes alone." Referencing the ISC's new figures, she said "this evidence suggests the impact is greater than [ministers] predicted", adding that "state schools aren't seeing the benefit". Ms Robinson reiterated the ISC's call for the government to reverse the tax policy, and said: "We are looking for greater recognition of the role independent schools play in helping to deliver on the government's educational priorities." Listen from 53:57.

In a letter to The Times, Nick Butcher from Surrey responds to the government's claim that more independent schools opened than closed last year. "That may be true," he says, "but it is unlikely to represent a like-for-like replacement." Mr Butcher notes that, where he lives, one independent and one state school have recently closed, with both taken over by private special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) providers. "While such provision is undoubtedly needed, these are not direct replacements for the traditional independent schools that have been lost. They serve a different educational segment altogether, and much of their funding ultimately comes via local authorities and, therefore, taxpayers." He concludes that counting such schools as "straightforward replacements" for mainstream independent schools "risks obscuring the real picture of educational provision". The letter appears below halfway. 

Labour MP Luke Charters submitted a written question in the House of Commons in which he asked the education secretary how her department "ensures effective oversight where safeguarding concerns are raised about independent schools". Responding, early education minister Olivia Bailey said: "All private schools are required to comply with the Independent School Standards (ISS), and schools that fail to meet the ISS at inspection are subject to regulatory action." Ms Bailey directed Mr Charters to information about regulatory and enforcement action, and said that as part of meeting the standards all independent schools must have regard to the statutory safeguarding guidance detailed in Keeping Children Safe in Education. Hansard.

Improving the "life satisfaction" of girls with the highest school absence rates is likely to have the biggest effect on attempts to improve attendance, according to research by the National Foundation for Educational Research. The findings suggest that lower life satisfaction among pupils in England is "associated" with higher school absences, although researchers also find a lack of evidence to show that improved "belonging", an issue prioritised in the recent schools white paper, helps boost attendance. By Kyle Tormey, Tes. 

Hundreds of staff at exam board AQA are to strike for four more days over an ongoing pay row. Around 400 members of Unison will walk out on Friday after leaders refused to meet for talks to discuss an alleged 10 per cent real-terms cut to staff wages over the last five years. Unison warned the action could cause delays to students receiving their results this summer although AQA has said the series will still be delivered "smoothly". Schools Week.

Writing in Tes, Abigail Kay, a long-serving Montessori teacher who is soon to become the head of a school in Spain, looks back at the unexpected journey that led her to this teaching method and outlines some of the reasons why others should consider it. "If you’re a UK teacher hesitant about Montessori, my advice is simple: read up about it. Dispel the myths – there are many," she says.