- House of Commons written question: VAT on fees and the Music and Dance Scheme
- Tonbridge School to admit girls for the first time
- International SEND strategy: 'The sector is right to look outward'
- Economics becomes one of top five most popular A-level subjects, Ofqual figures show
- Details of government's new 'early education partnerships' announced
- Children's reading for pleasure is finally rising again, survey finds
- ISC blog: The power of sport
House of Commons written question: VAT on fees and the Music and Dance Scheme
PoliticalIn a written question on the Music and Dance Scheme (MDS), shadow education minister Saqib Bhatti asked if the Department for Education (DfE) has considered removing VAT charged on the MDS Settlement Grant for MDS schools and parents. In response, schools minister Georgia Gould explained that the MDS "provides means-tested bursaries so high achieving students in music and dance can secure world-class specialist training regardless of financial circumstances", including at eight independent schools. She added that the government's VAT on fees policy was introduced in January 2025, which applies "to all education services, vocational training and boarding services provided by private schools for a charge". Ms Gould concluded: "This academic year, grant funding to the schools included an additional £4 million to meet the costs of VAT linked to the bursaries themselves. The matter of VAT for private school fees was subject to a consultation led by HM Treasury and the government response was first published July 2024 and updated October 2024." Hansard.
Tonbridge School to admit girls for the first time
Single-sex schoolsTonbridge School in Kent is to admit girls to its sixth form at the start of the 2028-29 academic year. In an email yesterday, the school, which was founded in 1553, told parents that around 20 girls would join the sixth form as day pupils from September 2028. James Priory, the school's headteacher, is quoted in The Telegraph, saying: "A co-educational sixth form will provide an environment that more closely reflects the world our pupils move into beyond school and will support their development as confident, capable young people." The article also mentions Abingdon School in Oxfordshire, which is to become fully co-educational from this September. By Albert Tait.
International SEND strategy: 'The sector is right to look outward'
SENDThe special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) systems in Canada, Italy and Portugal are often praised as models for others to follow, but a closer look at the data reveals a more complex picture, explains Dr Nic Crossley, CEO of Liberty Academy Trust, which runs three special schools. "The grass is not always greener, and delivering inclusion is never straightforward," she concludes. Tes.
Economics becomes one of top five most popular A-level subjects, Ofqual figures show
ExaminationsEconomics has become one of the top five most popular A-level subjects for the first time, new provisional data from exams regulator Ofqual has revealed. More than 46,000 candidates will sit economics exams in England this summer, which is 10.7 per cent more than last year. This makes it the fifth most popular subject behind maths, psychology, biology and chemistry. Business studies is a close sixth, with 43,400 candidates, while history, physics, sociology and art and design make up the remainder of the top 10. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.
Details of government's new 'early education partnerships' announced
Primary education and early yearsThe government has set out details of how its new "early education partnerships" between primary schools and early years settings will operate, with grants of up to £50,000 being allocated in a bid to improve reception readiness. Early education minister Olivia Bailey said the partnerships, which will look at inclusion and support for children with SEND and additional needs and from disadvantaged backgrounds, "will create a more coherent and connected early years landscape". By Ruth Lucas, Schools Week.
Children's reading for pleasure is finally rising again, survey finds
General educationChildren’s engagement with reading has risen for the first time in five years after falling to a 20-year low, according to a survey from the National Literacy Trust. It found 36.1 per cent of those aged 8-18 said they enjoyed reading in their free time, up from 32.7 per cent last year. The survey of 125,000 children from across the UK also revealed that 20.3 per cent read daily in their free time, compared with 18.7 per cent in 2025. Helen Hayes MP, chair of the Commons Education Select Committee, said the research offers some grounds for optimism, adding: "Reading for pleasure empowers children to make the most of their potential." By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.
ISC blog: The power of sport
ISC blogIn a new blog for the ISC ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Dr Margaret Hunnaball, director of programmes and research at the School Partnerships Alliance (S.P.A.), discusses the potential for sports partnerships to change and save lives. Reflecting on the importance of cross-sector collaboration for all those involved, Dr Hunnaball says: "Pupils from both sectors benefit from good partnership practice."