Kate McGough

School absence in England has improved overall, but those with additional needs are missing more school.

Nathan Standley; Kate McGough - Education reporter Thu, April 16, 2026 at 1:06 AM GMT+2 4 min read

Teachers say more children are starting school without skills like basic communication and potty training.

A major review has declared that Britain faces a "lost generation" - could personalised early intervention help prevent under-16s falling into the Neet trap?

Vanessa Clarke Kate McGough Once-in-a-generation reforms are needed to fix an education system that "is not serving the interests of white working-class children", an independent inquiry has concluded.

The inquiry spoke to thousands of young people and their parents, as well as hundreds of teachers.

Kate McGough - Education reporter School suspensions and exclusions in England have dropped for the first time since the pandemic, according to government figures released on Thursday.

In Leeds, streets are being temporarily closed to traffic so kids have more space to safely play - an initiative proving beneficial to both children and adults.

In Leeds, streets are being temporarily closed to traffic so kids have more space to safely play - an initiative proving beneficial to both children and adults.

The BBC understands schools will not be penalised for missing targets, but they will be monitored.