Lord Bethell, former manager of Ministry of Sound, likens children's exposure to social media to letting them take illegal drugs, attend sex shows or go clubbing. Speaking during late-night debate in House of Lords on banning phones in schools.

Scientists have long thought cattle lacked the brains for problem-solving. An Austrian cow called Veronika has forced a rethink

Fantastic work by my colleagues @georgiamay.bsky.social , Sean O'Neill @timeslucy.bsky.social and @shaymabakht.bsky.social to produce this shocking story

Cambridge University has students from 140 countries, some of them thousands of miles away, including Chile, New Zealand and Guatemala ⬇️

Melissa McKay criticised the tech giant after it told her son how to switch off the safety features ahead of his 13th birthday, and Google changed their policy

Cambridge trying to attract students from northeast and make them feel at home. One student says: "I am commonly mocked in Cambridge for my accent. At first I thought it was just banter with friends but I've since had a massive shift in my position on the issue." www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Cambridge goes on a charm offensive to attract students from the northeast of England, as the student union launches a northern society. Sixth-formers say they are worried about not returning home afterwards if they go to Oxbridge. www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Most 12-year-olds do not realise they will be able to vote in the next general election but already hold strong political views by this age, research has found. www.thetimes.com/article/7d3d...

Baroness Mone is being allowed to keep the estimated £15,000-a-week rent received from a mansion covered by a freezing order ⬇️

🔺 EXCLUSIVE: Prince Andrew has not paid rent on Royal Lodge for two decades

And I complete agree with Dr Henry Shevlin from @cfi-cambridge.bsky.social that "most [degree] courses are still figuring out how to adapt to the post-ChatGPT era when the take-home essay assignment is basically dead". They need to adapt soon if their degrees are to retain any value.

Teenagers will sit a compulsory school reading test at 13 under changes planned by Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary ⬇️

Mandatory reading test to be introduced for 13-year-olds | The Times

A potentially big development. It will be interesting to see if the Curriculum and Assessment Review cites the lack of a secondary reading test as a problem that needs solving. I'm certainly not convinced that a new compulsory reading test would count as an 'evolution' of the current system...

Exclusive: Bridget Phillipson wants compulsory reading tests for 13-year-olds and will set out plans in forthcoming white paper www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

The Office for Students is considering using official rankings of teaching quality to determine how much institutions can charge for tuition. More from @thetimes.com @nicolawoolcock.bsky.social buff.ly/YUkZqnO #education #educationnews

Nigel Farage looks uncomfortable as Jamie Raskin uses his opening statement to absolutely demolish him

Universities with poor teaching records could be stopped from charging full tuition fees under plans being considered by the Office for Students (and its new chair calls for more TikTok and gaming-style teaching from academics) Exclusive in The Times www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

And if you want to understand why scrapping GCSE resits could be a controversial move, my podcast with @sarahjwaite.bsky.social and Prof Lee Elliot Major discussed the arguments for and against the resits policy. insideyoured.buzzsprout.com/1874905/epis...

@nicolawoolcock.bsky.social reporting that GCSE resits could be on the way out, with "a functional skills test or a driving exam-style competency assessment" cited as possible replacements. Can the DfE make this switch without it being seen as lowering standards? www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Review of assessments is expected to suggest that the government create alternative routes for pupils who repeatedly fail core subjects

Nine students in Gaza with offers from British universities have been told the UK will attempt to bring them out to start their studies. The students have Chevening scholarships funded by the government but had no access to biometric data to prove their ID www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Risk of collapse shouldn’t stop students graduating, the skills minister says

Teenagers are supposedly addicted to their devices - but are anxious about making phone calls. Now schools are teaching them how to ring universities ahead of A-level results day. www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Lara, a postgraduate student at the University of York, speaks about identifying as asexual and her perspective of hookup culture at university, as told to Sian Bradley

As families brace themselves for the long summer break... should it be cut to a month? Most parents think so according to new polling by Parentkind www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Difficult but important read by my colleague @georgiamay.bsky.social on the safeguarding failings at a special needs school www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Education secretary plans to overhaul school complaints system. With more than 5 million formal complaints last year, @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social says system is failing both parents and teachers. More from @thetimes.com @nicolawoolcock.bsky.social buff.ly/DtTXCG1 #education #educationnews

‘No ball games’ signs silence children — ban them, says peer. Former children’s commissioner calls for outdoor play to be revived to tackle ‘scourge’ of phone addiction. More from @thetimes.com @nicolawoolcock.bsky.social buff.ly/5EovADj #education #educationnews

Rachel Reeves announces £17.8bn stake in Sizewell C - here's my interview with the English literature graduate and Cambridge choral scholar running the project www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...

Thanks to @nicolawoolcock.bsky.social for the coverage of our new report in @thetimes.com today. Regional disparities in access to HE are significant: a place-based approach to widening access, one that encourages & facilitates collaboration within regions, is needed to help close these gaps.

Worth a read. What I found most interesting is both schools here had relatively low % PP - so part of the answer might be more integrated/diverse school populations (in all respects). Would mirror research findings that fully comprehensive intake schools can do better for all.

Yoga, wild animals, Scottish dancing - and no silent corridors. Bridget Phillipson wants white working class pupils to do better - I spoke to two rural schools boosting results. www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Becontree Primary School in Dagenham is a template for government reform of special needs. Its methods could be adopted across the country. Was such a pleasure to meet their incredibly impressive children and staff www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

More special needs children will be educated in mainstream under reforms planned by Bridget Phillipson. Major overhaul of “broken” special educational needs system will come in White Paper. Govt wants more inclusion - and needs to cut £12bn bill www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Alex Gerko wants to change the culture of bright kids doing PPE at Oxford, and make maths degree the default. Russian-born billionaire is funding 1729 Maths School in north London, opening next September

Alex Gerko, Russian-born billionaire and Britain’s biggest taxpayer, will open the first maths specialist secondary school in September next year. The “needs blind” private school will offer "very substantial" bursaries. www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Good news klaxon! The head of geography at Folkestone Academy (a keen skateboarder from the age of 12) helped create the first concrete bowl skate park at a state school. It's now planning a BMX trail. Attendance is up and more pupils engaged in sport. www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Something so sad about little boys being read to less than little girls. One in five wee boys (aged 0-2years) is rarely or never treated to storytime with an adult, according to new research. @harpercollins.bsky.social @philearle.bsky.social www.thetimes.com/article/b306...

Highly paid academy chief execs should expect scrutiny of their trusts, says Sir Michael Wilshaw, ex-Ofsted head. He defends Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Criticises “unreasonable” attacks from those with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. www.thetimes.com/article/77f0...

Recorder falls out of favour as children turn to the ukulele It comes as a survey found that there are fewer people playing an instrument than in previous years. More from @thetimes.com @nicolawoolcock.bsky.social buff.ly/XYcSRw3 #education #educationnews

The Times: Reeves faces pay demand for teachers and nurses #TomorrowsPapersToday

University students are boycotting ChatGPT for ethical reasons rather than because they fear being caught cheating ⬇️

Students turn against ChatGPT for ethical reasons not because they fear being caught cheating, according to a poll at Cambridge They dislike Big Tech and the damaging environmental impact of generative AI. www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

This is an inspiring read for anyone feeling the world has gone to hell in a handcart... @thetimes.com www.thetimes.com/uk/young-pow...

The review stresses importance of social justice, diversity and inclusion, and raising standards for the “forgotten third”. This isn't just ideologically driven — it will boost the economy and pupils seeing themselves reflected in the curriculum will be more engaged in education, report says

Prof Becky Francis has the power to recommend radical reform and sweeping changes - abolition of GCSEs or replacing classroom teachers with AI. Instead, her interim report reveals more tweaks than tornadoes... Interview and analysis in @thetimes.com www.thetimes.com/article/6fc9...

Curriculum review calls for greater diversity, equality and inclusion so all children see themselves reflected in textbooks and lesson materials, to “challenge discrimination”.

Major curriculum review likely to recommend teenagers take fewer GCSE exams because of fears they are overly stressed and being taught to the test. www.thetimes.com/article/ca39...

The Times children's book of the week is...Hidden Treasure by Jessie Burton. Contains mudlarking, mystery and a touch of magic. ☀️🌕☀️🌕☀️🌕☀️🌕☀️ @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social www.thetimes.com/article/b41a...