In the news

Tory discipline

The Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Independent, Telegraph, Guardian and BBC Online picked up on ASCL's concerns about the unintended consequences of the Conservative Party's proposal to ban exclusion appeals panels.

John Dunford said: "Ending the right of parents to appeal to an independent panel against exclusion would, as I have said consistently in the past, lead to more parents going to the courts in an attempt to overturn their child's exclusion. This would be more stressful, time consuming and costly."

While the Tory's overall message about maintaining discipline is spot on, ASCL also has concerns about their proposal to abolish behaviour partnerships.

Strike action

ASCL expressed its views on the NUT one-day strike in the Daily Mail, Guardian, Sun and BBC Online. John Dunford said: "I am disappointed that the NUT has voted in favour of strike action over a pay award that represents a good deal for teachers in the present climate."

The TES carried advice from ASCL on implications of the strike for heads.

Annual conference

Admissions problems, concerns over A levels and diplomas, and bad-mannered children featured in the extensive coverage of ASCL's annual conference in March. All the major broadsheets and the BBC came to Brighton to cover the event and our tracking shows more than 250 articles referring to ASCL in national and regional UK press the week of conference.

John Dunford appeared on BBC News 24 and Radio 4 Today programme as the conference opened, to react to the DCSF announcement by Ed Balls about the new extended diploma. John said that the diploma structure needs to be simplified.

The Times carried a large article on Professor Guy Claxton's presentation which asserted that high-achieving girls feel unprepared to deal with failure.