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Daily News Summary
24 September 2019

Independent schools would "push back in the courts" against Labour's abolition plans
Commentary: The implications of Labour's plans for private schools
Letters: 'Labour's plans to abolish independent schools are indefensible'
Study suggests summer-born children are more likely to suffer depression than their peers
Survey prompts concern over multi-course classes in Scottish schools
Research reveals two thirds of schools in England have poor fire protection systems

Independent schools would "push back in the courts" against Labour's abolition plans

 

Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), has said independent schools would "push back in the courts" against policies aimed at seizing their property and forcing their students into state schools. By Camilla Turner and Anna Mikhailova, The Telegraph.

The Times reports the Labour Party has "backed away" from some of the more extreme elements of their plan to abolish independent schools, with shadow chancellor John McDonnell describing the act of seizing private schools' assets as "draconian". By Henry Zeffman and Rosemary Bennett. The article quotes Mike Buchanan, executive director of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC).

 

Commentary: The implications of Labour's plans for private schools

 

Boris Johnson has described Labour's proposals to abolish independent schools as a "pointless attack on the education system". Tes.

Simon Henderson, head of Eton College, writes in the Daily Mail arguing "confiscating and redistributing the assets of some of the best schools in the world will not improve the life chances of young people left behind by our education system". Mr Henderson is also interviewed in The Guardian, 'hitting back' against Labour's plans.

Hans Van Mourik Broekman, principal of Liverpool College, shares his school's experience of switching from an independent school to a state-funded academy. He warns that while the move proved successful for his school, "many independent schools would be terrible state schools". Tes.

The Telegraph features a comment piece written by Toby Young, which outlines the potential financial implications of Labour's proposals.

BBC News features a piece on the different elements of Labour's proposed policies, and explores whether or not they could be successfully implemented. By Sean Coughlan. The article references the ISC and the HMC.

Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC, was featured on BBC South East last night, alongside Labour activist Holly Rigby. Listen from 17:23.

Matthew Adshead, head of Old Vicarage School and former chair of the Independent Schools Association, appeared on BBC Radio Wales this morning alongside Carys Roberts, an economist at the Institute for Public Policy Research. Discussion focused on the pros and cons of an independent education. Listen from 1:52:20. Mr Adshead also appeared on BBC Radio Derby this morning (listen from 00:37:00). The clip includes interviews with parents who describe how they pay for their children to be privately educated.

 

Letters: 'Labour's plans to abolish independent schools are indefensible'

 

The Telegraph, The Times, and The Independent all feature letters from members of the public outlining why they believe plans to abolish independent schools are problematic. All of the letters can be found at the top of the page.

 

Study suggests summer-born children are more likely to suffer depression than their peers

 

Findings from a new study suggest children born in the last three months of the school year are 30 per cent more likely to develop depression than those born in the first three months. By Gabriella Swerling, The Telegraph.

 
The Telegraph

Survey prompts concern over multi-course classes in Scottish schools

 

The Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association has called for action after a poll of its members identified a "wide disparity of practice" in multi-course teaching across different parts of the country. By Henry Hepburn, Tes.

 
Tes

Research reveals two thirds of schools in England have poor fire protection systems

 

Zurich Municipal, an education insurer, has written to the Government calling for urgent action after inspections revealed 67 per cent of schools in England have "poor" fire protection systems. Education Executive.

 
Education Executive

 

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