isc logo  

Daily News Summary
20 January 2020

'How Scottish independent schools give back to their communities'
Middle-class students are 'missing out' on Oxbridge places, whistleblowers warn
The Telegraph's guide to choosing GCSE options
Betting firms given unauthorised access to educational database
'The importance of helping your children to become independent'
Pupils as old as 13 'unable to tell the time using an analogue clock'
Parents warn against using online tuition service
'Ways we can improve our education system'

'How Scottish independent schools give back to their communities'

 

The Sunday Times features an article highlighting the charitable initiatives and partnership activities taking place at Scotland's independent schools. By Gabriella Bennett. The article references the Scottish Council of Independent Schools, and quotes the heads of several independent schools within membership of the ISC's constituent associations.

 
The Sunday Times

Middle-class students are 'missing out' on Oxbridge places, whistleblowers warn

 

The Sunday Telegraph reports two senior figures in Oxford University's admissions department have warned pledges to admit more undergraduates from disadvantaged backgrounds to Oxbridge will 'come at the expense' of high-achieving middle-class students. By Camilla Turner.

 
The Sunday Telegraph

The Telegraph's guide to choosing GCSE options

 

The Telegraph offers expert tips for parents on how to help their children choose the right GCSE options. By Rosie Murray-West. The article quotes Jo Sharrock, head of Shrewsbury High School, Duncan Byrne, head of Loughborough Grammar School, and references the Independent Schools Council.

 
The Telegraph

Betting firms given unauthorised access to educational database

 

Betting companies have been given access to the private information of up to 28 million children and students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which they have used in efforts to increase the proportion of young people who gamble online. By Kenza Bryan, Sian Griffiths and Jon Ungoed-Thomas, The Sunday Times.

 
The Sunday Times

'The importance of helping your children to become independent'

 

Dr Dominique Thompson, a mental health expert and school governor at Bristol Grammar School, offers advice to parents on how they can raise their children to become happy, self-sufficient young people. By Rachel Carlyle, The Times.

 
The Times

Pupils as old as 13 'unable to tell the time using an analogue clock'

 

Kilgraston School, an independent school in Perthshire, has started to teach its pupils how to tell the time using an analogue clock, after teachers began to notice more and more senior students were unable to read traditional clock faces. By Patrick Sawer, The Telegraph. The article quotes Dorothy MacGinty, head of Kilgraston School, and mentions Stephanie Speed, head of maths at the school.

 
The Telegraph

Parents warn against using online tuition service

 

The Sunday Times features the testimonials of parents who have signed up to Exemplar Education, an online tuition service, and are unable to cancel their contract for another five years. By Sabah Meddings.

 
The Sunday Times

'Ways we can improve our education system'

 

Bernard Trafford, a former independent school headteacher, writes in Tes arguing politicians should "fix the accountability system, trust teachers to do their jobs, and fund schools properly".

 
Tes

 

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.