Schools policy lands in classrooms on this page. England's statutory mobile phone ban is followed from taking legal effect to the early verdict of calmer corridors as phone-free rules bed in. Half a million more children qualify for free school meals from September, the SEND overhaul sparks a parent backlash as ministers defend inclusion plans, and attendance edges up even as severe absence keeps headteachers awake. Teachers edge towards summer strikes ahead of the pay verdict, while in Los Angeles a schools chief resigns after FBI searches and months on leave.
Alberto Carvalho's departure leaves the second-largest district in the United States facing a leadership reset amid a federal inquiry he says he has no part in.
With 96 per cent of National Education Union members rejecting an unfunded 6.5 per cent offer spread over three years, ministers face a fraught decision on the 2026 pay award that could trigger the first national school strikes since 2023.
From 29 June, state schools in England must have regard to government guidance making them mobile-free by default, with Ofsted set to check policies at every inspection in a move ministers say will protect learning and wellbeing.
The Schools White Paper would reserve education, health and care plans for the most complex cases and push most support into mainstream classrooms, but campaigners fear the changes will strip away hard-won legal protections for disabled children.
Every pupil in a household on Universal Credit will become entitled to a free school lunch from the new academic year, in the biggest expansion of the scheme in years, as councils urge families to reapply before the changes take effect.
The latest figures show attendance in England's state schools has crept above 93 per cent this year, a slow recovery from the pandemic, yet persistent and severe absence remain stubbornly higher than before Covid, with secondaries lagging primaries.
New rules giving legal weight to phone-free school days come into force at the end of June, with Ofsted set to check how the policy is being applied.
Head teachers say behaviour and concentration have improved since phone-free school days became the norm, though unions caution the real test is consistent enforcement.