Best Schools - Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council, responds to a Sutton Trust and t

"Independent schools are renowned for their academic success and beyond this are strongly committed to widening access for children whatever their background. It is important to remember that school type is not of itself an indicator of socio-economic advantage or disadvantage.

"Independent schools allocate over £420million to reducing fees for children of lower income families, an increase of 6% compared with last year.

"Assumptions about independent schools are far too often based on misconceptions or stereotypes. Many people do not realise that the majority of schools within ISC membership have fewer than 350 pupils, only half are academically selective, and most work in partnership with state schools. An increasing number are working to provide places for looked-after children and those on the edge of care.

“Data from this year's ISC annual Census highlights the extent to which independent schools are expanding their public benefit activities; 11,466 partnerships were recorded this year, meaning many thousands of pupils at state schools are benefitting from collaboration in teaching support, careers advice and academic partnerships.

"It is also important to remember that independent schools save the tax payer £3.5bn a year from students not being in state education. As revealed by Oxford Economics in an impact report last year, independent schools contributed £13.7bn to the economy, generated £4.1bn of annual tax revenues and supported 303,000 jobs. In addition, our schools are a hugely successful British export, highly regarded around the world."

Read the statement here: https://www.isc.co.uk/media-enquiries/news-press-releases-statements/isc-statement-on-sutton-trust-and-smc-report/

School children must be taught about 'different', Education Secretary says amid LGBT lessons row

The Education Secretary Damian Hinds has said he would “strongly” encourage primary school teachers to discuss with children about how there are all sorts of types of families, including those with same-sex parents.

His intervention comes amid a row over teaching children about LGBT relationships with several primary schools in Birmingham suspending the lessons following protests and petitions from Muslim parents.

The Government has published guidance for schools on how to teach Relationship and Sex Education (RSE), which will become a statutory requirement from September 2020.

Mr Hinds said there is no reason why teaching children about “the society that we live in and the different types of loving, healthy relationships that exist” cannot be done in a way that “respects everyone”.

He said that in order to prepare children for life in modern Britain, they need to understand the world they are growing up in.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Headteacherd, welcomed Mr Hinds’ intervention. “The Secretary of State has now made it abundantly clear that it is appropriate to teach primary-age children that there are different kinds of relationships, and that not every family is the same,” he said.