Independent Sector

Does sending disadvantaged children to expensive boarding schools help them? Andrew Billen meets students who’ve taken part in an experimental scheme. The Times. References Epsom College and Glenalmond College.

Independent Sector

Rising fees at independent schools mean that pushy parents believe they are “buying” success for their children, a teachers’ leader has said. By Camilla Turner, The Telegraph. Also reported by Tes, The Times and the Daily Mail. Articles reference figures from the Independent Schools Council's annual census.

Does your school run any initiatives to aid teacher workload? If you'd like to write a blog outlining what your school does, please email [email protected].

Education Policy

The government is providing nearly £100 million over two years to help talented pupils attend top music, dance and drama schools. By Charlotte Santry, Tes. Also reported by Schools Week.

ISC Blog

Three ISC blogs discuss the pros and cons of a military ethos in schools.

Mark Mortimer, headmaster at Warminster School, argues that a military ethos at schools is not about discipline but, instead, a meaningful, collective and unifying vision that binds people together and, in doing so, inspires and motivates.

Sarah Evans, governor at Elmhurst Ballet School, argues against a military ethos in schools and states that externally imposed discipline, with the threat and infliction of punishment behind it, does not correlate to self-discipline.

Steve Winter, deputy head at Bethany School in Kent, argues that a military ethos in schools is unnecessary when schools can instill the same values and philosophies through outdoor learning programmes.

Education Policy

Schools will no longer be forced to collect data on their pupils’ nationality and country of birth — two years after the policy was introduced. By Rosemary Bennett, The Times. Also reported by The Guardian, BBC News and Schools Week.

Recruitment and Retention

The founders of Teacher Tapp, which surveys every aspect of teachers’ lives, hope their data can help improve retention. By Fiona Millar, The Guardian.

Examinations

In our series on GCSE revision, English teacher Grainne Hallahan gives her favourite activities to help your students in that final sprint to the exam. Tes.

Message from ISC

Thursday 10 May 2018, 9am-4pm - Brighton College

The conference will bring leading heads, policy makers and opinion formers together to discuss ongoing developments in education and wider philosophical issues about the education we should be providing for children in the 21st century.

Speakers include former Home Secretary, Rt Hon Alan Johnson who served under both Blair and Brown, the former Secretary of State for Education and current Chair of the Treasury Select Committee Rt Hon Nicola Morgan MP, campaigner for democracy and justice Peter Tatchell, lecturer and historian Jane Robinson and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General, Andreas Schleicher.

Further information and to book.

ISC monitors the national and educational press in order to keep independent schools and other interested parties up-to-date with education news. We endeavour to include all relevant news and commentary and, wherever possible, notable public letters.

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