isc logo  

Daily News Summary
14 April 2020

Coronavirus: 'Schools could reopen before summer holidays'
'How to encourage boys to discover a love of language learning'
Neuroscience training course open for nominations
Margaret Greenwood becomes new shadow schools minister
World Bank freezes investments in for-profit schools overseas

Coronavirus: 'Schools could reopen before summer holidays'

 

The Sunday Times reports schools could reopen at the end of May to take in the children of more key workers, as the Government gradually allows more sectors to go back to work. By Sian Griffiths. The Observer reports on comments from children's commissioner Anne Longfield, who believes schools should consider opening in some form over the summer holidays "to help children learn and catch up but also to offer them a safe place to play and socialise with friends". An article in The Telegraph reports less than half of children deemed vulnerable have been attending school during the lockdown, prompting concerns for their welfare. By Edward Malnick.

Ministers have warned many schools are unable to order weekly shopping vouchers for vulnerable families due to IT problems with the Government's online system. By Will Hazell and Hugo Gye, iNews.

The Herald reports a venue in Glasgow is partnering with Kelvinside Academy and Caldervale High to produce personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers. By Carla Jenkins. The article quotes David Miller, director of the Innovation School at Kelvinside Academy. The Mirror reports Mark Smith, a design technology teacher at Leighton Park School in Reading, is working with 10 other local schools and businesses to produce almost a thousand visors a day for NHS staff.

Stephen Lehec, head of Kingston Grammar School, explains why he has asked parents to pay summer term fees in full, warning competition over offering fee discounts 'could see more schools, especially those who are already operating on very tight margins, closing'. By Rosemary Bennett, The Times. A separate article in The Times reports independent schools should anticipate an increase in requests from parents for their summer-born children to repeat a year after falling behind during the lockdown. By Nicola Woolcock. Sir Anthony Seldon, vice-chancellor of the University of Buckingham, writes in The Times arguing the coronavirus crisis provides an opportunity to rethink the role of independent schools within the education system. Tes reports Rebecca Long-Bailey, the new shadow education secretary, has written to Gavin Williamson calling for the integration of struggling independent schools into the state sector. By William Stewart.

Professor Susan Michie, of the Government's scientific advisory group on coronavirus, has called on ministers to open access to private green spaces - including independent school grounds - to ensure people can exercise safely while maintaining social distancing. By Mark Townsend, The Observer.

Mary Curnock Cook, former chief executive of UCAS, has criticised the predicted grades appeal system, adding that taking a gap year is "unaffordable" for some students. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph.

Tes reports campaigners are calling for subtitles to be added to children's TV programmes to boost the literacy levels of children learning at home. By Dave Speck.

According to The Telegraph, around 150 Ofsted staff are offering to provide temporary accommodation for vulnerable children unable to stay in foster homes. By Yohannes Lowe.

Schools Week reports on findings which suggest working-class parents feel less confident about teaching their children at home than their middle-class counterparts. By James Carr.

 

'How to encourage boys to discover a love of language learning'

 

Speaking to The Times, Helen Pike, master of Magdalen College School, Oxford, shares an insight into ways schools can encourage boys to engage with language learning. By Rosemary Bennett.

 
The Times

Neuroscience training course open for nominations

 

A new course designed to apply educational neuroscience to teaching will recruit participants from state and independent secondary schools over the spring and summer of 2020. IE Today. The article quotes Julia Harrington, head of Queen Anne's School, Caversham.

 
IE Today

Margaret Greenwood becomes new shadow schools minister

 

Margaret Greenwood, a former secondary school English teacher, has been appointed as shadow schools minister by new Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

 
Schools Week

World Bank freezes investments in for-profit schools overseas

 

The Observer reports the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank's private sector arm, has halted direct investments in private schools overseas. By Jamie Doward.

 
The Observer

 

The Independent Schools Council (ISC) monitors the national and educational press in order to keep independent schools up-to-date with relevant education news. The DNS is a service primarily for schools in membership of ISC associations, although other interested parties can choose to sign-up. We endeavour to include relevant news and commentary and, wherever possible, notable public letters. Where capacity allows, we may include links to ISC blogs, press statements and information about school or association events. News stories are selected based on their relevance to the independent sector as a whole. Editorial control of the DNS remains solely with the ISC.

Sign-up to the email service is available on our website.

Members can contact the ISC if they know in advance of news, letters or opinions that are likely to feature in the media, or are aware of existing coverage which they would like to see featured in the DNS.

Headlines and first-line summaries are written by the ISC with the link directing to the source material. You should read and comply with the terms and conditions of the websites to which we link.