Education

A primary school is “so much calmer”, say teachers, who have started training pupils in Year 5 and 6 to be mental health ambassadors. St Michael’s Church of England primary in Wolverhampton has begun teaching a programme to help children manage emotions, following investment from the West Midlands Violence Reduction Partnership. A group of 20 … Read more

Gwyn Loader Chief correspondent, Newyddion S4C Alamy Cardiff University confirmed plans to cut 400 full-time jobs amid a funding shortfall in January The minister responsible for higher education in Wales has asked universities to “consider all options”, including using its financial reserves, to prevent job losses. Vikki Howells, the Welsh government’s minister in charge, announced … Read more

Olivia Demetriades & Alice Bhandhukravi BBC News, London Getty Images A London borough is making moves to ban smartphones from its schools. From September, 103 primary schools in Barnet will not allow smartphones to be brought in and 23 secondary schools will commit to working towards removing smartphones entirely from the school day. This is … Read more

Katy McCloskey Senior producer, education PA Media Pupils as young as 14 were asked about their sexual experiences A review of a controversial school sex survey which was first requested almost three years ago is to be published in the next month, the Scottish government has said. It comes after the boss of the UK’s … Read more

Stuart Maisner BBC News, South East BBC Lisa moved her daughter to a private school after she struggled with class sizes in a state school A woman from West Sussex has said the government’s new tax on private school fees has had a “huge” impact on her family. Lisa, who owns a business in Hassocks, … Read more

Wales will be at an “economic disadvantage” to other UK nations if it doesn’t increase the number of students going to university, according to the sector. Universities Wales – which represents Wales’ nine institutions – said action was needed with latest admissions showing 32% of Welsh 18-year-olds applied to university in January, down a percentage … Read more

PA Media Ysgol Dyffryn Aman was locked down after two teachers and a pupil were hurt in a stabbing last April A deputy head teacher at a school where two teachers and a pupil were stabbed wrote to the Welsh government to express concerns about behaviour three months before the attack. Ceri Myers exchanged seven … Read more

Ruth Bradley BBC Somerset Political Reporter PA Media Online schools offer live and recorded lessons for children who are unable to manage in mainstream schools Children with complex needs are being sent to unaccredited online schools at a cost of hundreds of thousands of pounds. Some say the placements are a “lifeline” for families whose … Read more

A deputy head teacher who took no action after becoming aware a pupil was potentially being sexually abused has avoided a teaching ban at a professional conduct panel. Rachel McMaster was also lead safeguarding officer at Holywell Middle School in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, where she worked between 2003 and 2013. In 2017, a girl reported to … Read more

James Grant & Annabel Amos BBC News, Northamptonshire Annabel Amos/BBC Tilly Gerra said not accessing Disability Student Allowance has prevented her from fully enjoying the university experience A visually-impaired student has written to MPs to highlight what she describes as the poor delivery of Disabiled Students’ Allowance (DSA) at her university. Tilly Gerra, who was … Read more