The Government has confirmed that fewer top GCSE and A-level grades will be awarded next year in an attempt to 'bring down marks from COVID pandemic highs'. Ofqual has said it expects results to be "much closer" to pre-pandemic years as a result. By Zoe Tidman, The Independent.

The Telegraph reveals the plans have been widely supported by education leaders. By Louisa Clarence-Smith.

Speaking to Tes, Dr Jo Saxton, chief executive of Ofqual, said it will be "impossible" to put measures in place in the exams system to account for how much disruption there has been to learning across the country. By Matilda Martin.

Dr Saxton is quoted in Schools Week, stressing that she wants the "fairest" qualifications for students. By Samantha Booth.

Natalie Perera, chief executive of the Education Policy Institute, echoed Dr Saxton's comments, and explained she is still concerned about the impact of the pandemic on disadvantaged students. By Richard Adams, The Guardian.

In the "very unlikely" event exams are cancelled, the Government has said schools should collect student performance evidence again this year as a precaution. By Samantha Booth, Schools Week.

An analysis of school and college staff vacancies by SchoolDash has shown school support staff vacancies have 'almost doubled' since before the pandemic. The research, shared exclusively with Schools Week, also shows an increase in vacant roles at the start of the school year, when schools would usually have filled all their roles. By Amy Walker.

Schools Week also reports that secondary subjects with the greatest fall in teacher bursaries attracted the fewest trainees in this year’s “grim” recruitment drive, according to figures from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). By Amy Walker.

Mermaids, the trans charity, is being investigated after concerns were raised over its approach to safeguarding young people. The charity, which receives funding from the taxpayer and runs training sessions for schools, the NHS and police forces, has been contacted by the regulator. By Hayley Dixon, The Telegraph.

The Guardian reports on the increase in the number of young people using vaping devices. Tom Bennett, the Government’s school behaviour adviser, has called on headteachers to address the issue of vaping among pupils, calling it “a huge health hazard”. By Sally Weale.

According to BBC News, a survey by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) found vaping in people aged 11-18 had doubled from 4 per cent in 2020 to 8.6 per cent in 2022. By Annabel Rackham and Elena Bailey.

A new study published in the Environmental and Science Technology journal has revealed that toxic “forever chemicals” commonly used to make children’s clothing could could pose a serious health risk to wearers exposed to them. By Emily Atkinson, The Independent.

Figures published yesterday by NHS Digital Data show vaccine coverage fell in 13 out of the 14 routine programmes for children up to five years old in England in 2021-22, compared with 2020-21. Officials from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have suggested disruption caused by the pandemic is likely to have contributed to a fall in vaccination rates. By Andrew Gregory, The Guardian.

New figures published by the Student Loans Company show that university drop-out rates among undergraduates have increased by a quarter as the cost of living crisis impacts students. By Poppy Wood, iNews.

A BBC Panorama investigation has revealed discrepancies in the number of fines issued by local councils to parents whose children miss school. Some local councils told the programme they had issued no penalties, while other authorities had handed out thousands. By Branwen Jeffreys, Nathan Standley & Panorama team, BBC News.

Writing in Tes, Dr Colin McGill, a lecturer in teacher education and programme leader at Edinburgh Napier University, considers how newly qualified teachers in Scotland can develop their professional skills.

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.