isc logo  

Daily News Summary
17 September 2021

Cabinet reshuffle: Nadhim Zahawi pledges to invest in schools as new education secretary
Two in five heads plan to leave the profession within five years, findings suggest
Exam board announces a range of new English literature texts as part of diversity drive
Scottish independent schools publish myth-busting blog
'Pupils should not be penalised for using regional dialects'
Undergraduate degrees in England are the most expensive in the world, report finds
Call for Oxbridge to offer short and modular courses

Cabinet reshuffle: Nadhim Zahawi pledges to invest in schools as new education secretary

 

Nadhim Zahawi has published a blog post pledging to work with schools to "spread the opportunity of excellent education". By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

According to The Telegraph, the new education secretary is already under pressure to secure a multi-billion pound funding package to support school catch-up. By Harry Yorke.

The Times' leading article urges Mr Zahawi to "lead a thorough overhaul of the education system".

The Telegraph features a spotlight piece on Ibstock Place School, the independent school previously attended by Nadhim Zahawi. By Daisy Dunn. The article also mentions King's College School in Wimbledon.

Worcester MP Robin Walker has been appointed as schools minister in Boris Johnson's reshuffle, replacing Nick Gibb. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

Key facts about the new schools minister are summarised by Schools Week. By Samantha Booth.

The Association of School and College Leaders has called for reforms to GCSEs and an end to English Baccalaureate targets following Nick Gibb's exit. By Catherine Lough, Tes.

Writing in The Telegraph, Nick Timothy reflects on the career of Nick Gibb, describing the former schools minister as "an unsung hero for children".

A commentary piece in The Times states the departure of Mr Gibb "may herald a significant change in the direction of education policy". By Nicola Woolcock.

Will Quince, MP for Colchester, has replaced Vicky Ford as the children's minister, while Alex Burghart, MP for Brentwood and Ongar, has been named as the new minister for apprenticeships and skills. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

 

Two in five heads plan to leave the profession within five years, findings suggest

 

New research findings suggest two in five headteachers plan to leave the profession early within the next five years, with the impact of COVID cited as a key contributing factor. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

 
Schools Week

Exam board announces a range of new English literature texts as part of diversity drive

 

The OCR exam board is adding a number of new texts by writers of colour to its English literature curriculum as part of efforts to improve diversity. By Sally Weale, The Guardian.

 
The Guardian

Scottish independent schools publish myth-busting blog

 

The Scottish Council of Independent Schools has published a document for international parents challenging some of the misconceptions about studying in Scotland. By Marc Horne, The Times.

 
The Times

'Pupils should not be penalised for using regional dialects'

 

Willem Hollmann, a Dutch professor of linguistics at Lancaster University, has suggested the national curriculum should be broadened to reflect the "rich tapestry" of pronunciation and grammar across the country. By Nina Lloyd, The Times.

 
The Times

Undergraduate degrees in England are the most expensive in the world, report finds

 

According to a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, English universities charge more in tuition fees than publicly funded institutions in any other country. By Graeme Paton, The Times.

 
The Times

Call for Oxbridge to offer short and modular courses

 

iNews reports the Government wants Oxford and Cambridge - along with other top universities - to begin offering students short and modular courses, providing more flexibility in terms of how they learn. By Will Hazell.

 
iNews

 

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.