ISC Daily News Summary

In a written question in the House of Commons, shadow minister (Cabinet Office) Mike Wood asked what the government's policy is on institutions charging higher prices for children from independent schools than for state schools for school visits. Early education minister Paul Waugh, who also has responsibility for independent schools, responded, saying: "Pricing decisions are for individual organisations. The department encourages individual organisations to consider how their arrangements support fair and inclusive access for children."

During a debate in the House of Lords on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), screen usage and social media on children, crossbench peer Lord Tarassenko urged ministers to take action and establish a commission that needs to work "at pace to inject a sense of urgency and create a road map for the rollout of AI teaching and digital literacy in schools". Asking whether the government would commit to taking such a proposal forward, he added: "Independent schools are not waiting: dedicated heads of AI education or directors of AI posts have been created in elite independent schools such as Brighton College and The Perse School. We need a coherent strategy for AI in education in the state sector, with a timetable for delivery measured in months, not years." Hansard.

In a letter to The Telegraph, singer, broadcaster and five-time Laurence Olivier Award nominee Dame Elaine Paige expresses her support for Julian Lloyd Webber's call to make music compulsory in schools. "Music deserves to be part of every school curriculum, as education should nurture the whole person, not merely measure academic achievement," she writes, adding that it "teaches discipline, resilience, creativity, collaboration and, perhaps most importantly, a sense of belonging and self-worth". Reflecting on the "fundamental" role of music in her own school experience, Dame Elaine says: "Removing or marginalising music in schools risks denying young people an opportunity that could shape their lives in ways that grades cannot always measure." The letter appears at the bottom of the page.

Dame Elaine Paige's comments come as prominent figures in the music industry continue to call on prime minister Andy Burnham to make music compulsory in schools. During the summer, the government promised reform to curricula with the addition of "more diverse genres and performance styles", but did not pledge to make the subject mandatory in schools. By Eric Williams, The Telegraph. 

This week, we feature Longridge Towers School on the Scottish-English border, which is launching a new BTEC course in a bid to give more children the skills and confidence to move into a career in agriculture.

Since its launch in 1984, the school has had a close relationship with the farming world, but while many current and past pupils, staff and governors retain strong farming ties, fewer young people are now following in their parents or grandparents' shoes. Longridge has an extensive Forest School and outdoor education syllabus, and this term launched BTECs in agriculture and business to bridge the gap between learning and employment.

Commenting on the launch, deputy head Jenell Arnott said: "Agriculture is a big part of the world around us at Longridge, and the BTECs are exciting introductions to our sixth form curriculum that reflect that commitment to providing individualised pathways in a diverse, career-ready education."

David Baird is a local farmer providing students with regular access to his farm. He added: "We need to encourage more people into our industry, and that starts with the next generation. Having a partnership with a school has to be a positive move. We have moved a long way away from the traditional view of a farmer and farming and now have so many different elements to agriculture and lots of job opportunities."

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