Education

• Many children arriving at primary school ‘not ready’, warn teachers

  Head teachers and children's campaigners have called for more money for early years education after new figures on pupils' readiness to start school.

  

• Coastal communities ‘worst performing areas’, according to new study

  Britain’s coastal communities are among the worst ranked parts of the country across a range of economic and social indicators, new report finds.

  

• Watchdog finds 'widespread and serious' failiures in children's services in Croydon

  Croydon Council has failed to improve children’s services quickly enough, according to a damning report from Ofsted.

  

• Thousands of special needs children left without school plan

  Thousands of children with special educational needs have not been been given a plan to move into secondary school by their local council, despite a legal obligation to do, new research has revealed.

  

• Disadvantaged pupils two years behind their peers

  The most disadvantaged pupils in England are on average two years of learning behind their more affluent peers, according to a new study.

  

• Teach children about cold water shock, council chiefs say

  Swimming and classroom lessons should teach children about the dangers of cold water shock, council chiefs say.

  

• Early childhood education improves life chances, study finds

  Children who have had high-quality early childhood education do better later in life, a new international study has confirmed.

  

• Mental health system ‘failing’ young people warns think tank

  Councils should be able to retain a percentage of the pupil premium allowance to help provide school-based support services, a think tank has argued today.

  

• Council publishes new pay offer to teaching assistants

  Proposals aimed at ending a long-running dispute with teaching assistants in Durham could mean more than three quarters of the staff being given a pay rise.

  

• What does local government want from the next Government?

  William Eichler explores what local government organisations hope to see from the next Government.