Daily roundup: GP funding, private schools, and child protection

The Royal College of GPs (RCGP) says the government invested £400m less in real terms in GP services last year than the previous Labour government did. Research by the RCGP shows that in 2012/13 £8.46bn was invested in GP services compared to £8.86bn in 2009/10. Dr Clare Gerada, chair of the RCGP, warned that surgeries' declining income was a key reason why patient waiting times were increasing and practices were having to reduce services, the Guardian reports.

Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw has urged independent schools to do more to help neighbouring state schools improve standards. Sir Michael said that too many fee-paying schools do nothing more than offer the loan of a playing field, or some coaching for A-level students. In a speech to the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference annual meeting in London, Sir Michael called on private school heads to take the lead, support their local schools and dispel the perception that they "do not care about the educational world beyond their cloisters and quads", the London Evening Standard reports.