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Daily News Summary
31 March 2020

Coronavirus: Supermarket vouchers for free school meals children
Neuroscience pilot course for qualified teachers
Councillor calls for independent schools to forgo tax relief to support local services
The Telegraph quiz: Test your teenagers' financial knowledge

Coronavirus: Supermarket vouchers for free school meals children

 

Under a new scheme introduced by the Government, children eligible for free school meals will receive supermarket vouchers worth £15 per week. BBC News.

According to a survey conducted by the mental health charity YoungMinds, 83 per cent of young people with a history of mental ill health report their conditions have worsened since the coronavirus outbreak hit the UK. By Gregory Robinson, The Guardian. An article in Tes reports 120 supply teachers in Scotland have written to education secretary John Swinney about the "huge anxiety and suffering" they are experiencing due to a lack of financial support. By Emma Seith.

The Daily Mail reports on the ways Eton College is offering support to state school pupils and key workers during the coronavirus outbreak. The Perse School has also created a free online maths programme for 11 to 16-year-olds in collaboration with Rob Percival, a former maths teacher and coding entrepreneur. The Herald reports Fettes College in Edinburgh is offering 150 free parking spaces to NHS workers. The article quotes Helen Harrison, the head of the school.

Christopher King, the chief executive of the Independent Association of Prep Schools, has said a number of prep schools are considering freezing or reducing fees for parents during the coronavirus pandemic. By Catherine Lough, Tes.

A written parliamentary question submitted by Lord Lexden, president of the Independent Schools Association, about whether independent schools are eligible for compensation for business interruption has been answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton. Questions and answers are published in full online.

As part of new guidance issued by the Department for Education, schools are being told to review and continually update their child protection policies to "reflect new arrangements in response to COVID-19". By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week. David Lester, the group learning services director at virtual school Nisai, has warned against schools using mainstream apps to communicate with their students, after questions were raised over the security of such platforms. By Hannah Boland, The Telegraph.

The NASUWT teaching union has written to education secretary Gavin Williamson about the "unacceptable" practices of schools during the coronavirus pandemic, which it claims are "adversely affecting teachers' lives and livelihoods". By Dave Speck, Tes.

BBC News reports key workers are being forced to take time off work due to a lack of childcare provision caused by the widespread closure of nurseries. By Frankie McCamley.

Charlotte Parry, a Year 11 student at Cockermouth School, outlines four ways teachers can help pupils with their learning. Tes.

The Association of School and College Leaders has advised teachers to award "reasonable" GCSE grades to their students, warning inflating exam results "would be wrong for several reasons". By Catherine Lough, Tes.

Tom Bewick, chief executive of the Federation of Awarding Bodies, has written to apprenticeships and skills minister Gillian Keegan calling for the delay of the first wave of T-levels. By Julia Belgutay, Tes.

 

Neuroscience pilot course for qualified teachers

 

Julia Harrington, head of Queen Anne's School, Caversham, is working with neuroscience specialist Professor Patricia Riddell to design a new course in educational neuroscience. The free course, which will be piloted in 2020-21, is intended to fill a perceived "gap" in teacher training through exploring the brain development of children throughout their teenage years. By Amy Gibbons, Tes.

 
Tes

Councillor calls for independent schools to forgo tax relief to support local services

 

The Guardian features a spotlight piece on Libby Lisgo, a Taunton councillor who is calling on local independent schools to each contribute 10 per cent of their business rate relief to a community fund for local services. By Melissa Benn. The article quotes Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC, and mentions the Independent Schools Association.

 
The Guardian

The Telegraph quiz: Test your teenagers' financial knowledge

 

The Telegraph features a multiple choice quiz for 14 to 17-year-olds on personal finance.

 
The Telegraph

 

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