ISC Daily News Summary
- Teachers told to look out for 'red flags' in AI-written coursework
- Teacher retention programme pushed back to autumn 2027
- School leaders call for more funding ahead of Autumn Budget
- Are new 'argumentative essays' key to boosting reading skills?
- Tackling loneliness: 'Fix the conditions, not the child'
Teachers told to look out for 'red flags' in AI-written coursework
Artificial intelligence (AI)Guidance published by the Joint Council for Qualifications lists dozens of words, phrases and stylistic features that supposedly indicate students are using artificial intelligence (AI) tools in their essays. These include the overuse of words such as "delve" or "catalyst" and "excessive summative and concluding language". The value of the guidance has been questioned by education experts, as many of the examples are commonly found in human-written work – and pupils could simply instruct chatbots to avoid using them. Dr Will Van Reyk, director of innovation at St Paul's Girls' School and chief academic officer of Pedagogue, an AI for schools platform, said the guidance shows that coursework is "no longer fit for purpose", adding that assessments should instead "reward critical use of AI", with students asked to log when they used it and explain how they critiqued and challenged its output. By Albert Tait, The Telegraph.
Teacher retention programme pushed back to autumn 2027
Recruitment and retentionA programme designed to boost teacher retention by improving flexible working in schools has been delayed by a year, the Department for Education (DfE) has announced. A spokesperson for the DfE said: "It’s vital our key initiatives work effectively as part of the new Retention Programme, which is why we are allowing for more time to engage with stakeholders, so we can create a well-designed programme that meets the needs of the sector." The programme is a key part of the government's ambition to grow the teacher workforce by 6,500 during this parliament. Currently, around 10 per cent of teachers leave the profession within a year of joining it. By Lydia Chantler-Hicks, Schools Week.
School leaders call for more funding ahead of Autumn Budget
FundingHeadteachers representing 250 schools across England have backed an open letter to prime minister Andy Burnham demanding an additional £4.5 billion to restore schools' spending power to 2010 levels. The letter, organised by the Stop School Cuts campaign, warns that staff cuts are damaging the curriculum and leaving vulnerable pupils without support. The Budget will be set out by chancellor John Healey on Wednesday 28 October. By Jabed Ahmed, Tes.
Are new 'argumentative essays' key to boosting reading skills?
Teaching and learningAn article in Tes explores changes to Cambridge International's AS- and A-level English language syllabus, which include a new compulsory argumentative essay component. The essay, due to be introduced from 2029, is designed to encourage students to consider issues in the round and acknowledge other points of view. Claire Nuttall, a former primary headteacher working in Luxembourg at St George's International School, welcomes the addition, saying: "At a time when misinformation is so prevalent, the ability to interrogate sources, weigh up evidence and construct a reasoned argument is essential." By Emma Seith.
Tackling loneliness: 'Fix the conditions, not the child'
Mental healthMargaret Mulholland, special educational needs and inclusion specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, writes in Tes about how schools can set the conditions for friendships to flourish. "Making friends and forming secure attachments to peers and trusted adults are learned skills. If we want young people to sustain friendships, schools need clear licence – and time – to teach those skills as deliberately as anything else in the curriculum, and to model them in how adults respond when things go wrong," she says.