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Good morning. It\u2019s back-to-school week, and the daily ritual (or, perhaps, panic) begins as uniforms are being donned and lunchboxes packed across the UK to start a new year. My sympathies to you teachers setting early morning alarms, and parents dragging children out of bed after six weeks of lie-ins.<\/p>\n
Last year, Keir Starmer promised to leave \u201cno stone unturned to give every child the very best start at life\u201d, but how is that going? More than half a million GCSE students in England will start the year with no physics teacher, while many kids from poorer families feel they cannot afford to have their children study geography or languages, new Guardian reporting shows.<\/p>\n
These are just a few things that reveal bigger issues about the lack of opportunities for millions of bleary-eyed children getting up for school this week. For today\u2019s newsletter, I spoke to Guardian education correspondent Sally Weale<\/strong><\/em> about how inequality is embedded into the system, and whether Labour is doing enough to tackle it. First, the headlines.<\/p>\n Afghanistan<\/strong><\/em> | The Taliban has called for international aid as Afghanistan reels from an earthquake that killed more than 800 people and left thousands injured.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Israel-Gaza war<\/strong><\/em> | A plan circulating in the White House to develop the \u201cGaza Riviera\u201d as a string of high-tech megacities has been dismissed as an \u201cinsane\u201d attempt to provide cover for the large-scale ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian territory\u2019s population.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Politics<\/strong><\/em> | Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the Treasury, has been moved to a new senior role in Downing Street as Keir Starmer attempts to get a grip on delivery before what is likely to be a tumultuous autumn for the government.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Health<\/strong><\/em> | A three-minute brainwave test can detect memory problems linked to Alzheimer\u2019s disease long before people are typically diagnosed, raising hopes that the approach could help identify those most likely to benefit from new drugs for the condition.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n UK news<\/strong><\/em> | Prominent women including cultural figures, politicians and campaigners have signed a letter criticising rightwing attempts to link sexual violence in Britain to asylum seekers. Signatories include the musicians Paloma Faith, Charlotte Church and Anoushka Shankar.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n <\/span>A UK schoolgirl plays hopscotch in the school playground.<\/span> Photograph: lovethephoto\/Alamy<\/p>\n A significant challenge for some schools starts not in the classroom but with recruitment. One-quarter of English state schools have no specialist physics teachers, with maths, biology or chemistry teachers typically being roped in to do the job, according to research by the Institute of Physics. Many of these teachers have not studied physics beyond the age of 18, and may themselves have only studied the subject to GCSE level.<\/p>\n \u201cRecruitment of new teachers, and then retention of teachers you\u2019ve already got, has been very difficult for quite a long time,\u201d said Sally Weale. Take physics: people with science degrees are likely to have a lot of better-paid employment opportunities in the private sector. \u201cCertain school subjects have been particularly badly affected, and physics is a big one. Most head teachers I talked to said the physics teacher is a big issue for them. Very often they haven\u2019t got one.\u201d<\/p>\n Pay for teachers is typically poor, and it\u2019s a tough job with long hours, and generally no opportunities for working from home. \u201cYou are in front of 30 students, you have to be at the top of your game all the time,\u201d said Sally.<\/p>\n Students in schools without specialist physics teachers are half as likely to go on to study A-level physics. More than 300 schools in England have none taking it, the report found. Unsurprisingly it is typically kids in the poorer areas who are worst affected.<\/p>\n Not only does this negatively impact opportunities for individual students, it also make it difficult to recruit scientists and innovators in key sectors such as quantum, photonics, nuclear and semiconductors, the report found.<\/p>\n \u2018Baked-in inequality\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Secondary school pupils from low-income families are \u201cbounced out\u201d of studying subjects like geography and languages because of concerns about the cost of field trips and excursions abroad, according to a survey of children in England. Fears about extra costs prevent almost a quarter of children on free school meals from choosing certain GCSE subjects.<\/p>\n \u201cThe reality is that some subjects just are no-go areas for lower-income families,\u201d said Sally. \u201cI remember when there would be school trips and parents would just say, \u2018Sorry, we can\u2019t afford it.\u2019 I think it\u2019s always been part of what\u2019s going on in schools, but these differences have become much more acute.\u201d<\/p>\n Other subjects with additional costs are music, which can require lessons and instruments; food and nutrition, due to the cost of ingredients; and PE, because of extra kit and equipment. Nine per cent of pupils who did not receive free-school meals said the cost \u2013 or concerns about the cost \u2013 prevented them from studying these subjects, according to Survation for the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG).<\/p>\n \u201cKids from the poorest backgrounds are always at such a huge disadvantage. It\u2019s not just what subjects they can study and it\u2019s not just physics teachers,\u201d said Sally. \u201cThey could be living in areas where it\u2019s hard to attract good teachers, or they don\u2019t have access to the same enrichment, or their families have less capacity to support them. This is something that I\u2019m writing about all the time, and have been ever since I started this job over 10 years ago. It\u2019s a kind of baked-in inequality that is very hard to deal with, and it\u2019s basically about poverty.\u201d<\/p>\n What is the attainment gap?<\/strong><\/p>\n This year, A-level results in England reached a record high outside the pandemic era, However, the stark regional divide between London and the rest of the UK, particularly the north-east and East Midlands, has widened. This is down to a range of factors, including investment in London schools during the Blair government, the higher pay and attractiveness of working in London for teachers, and gentrification of the city.<\/p>\n The attainment gap between poorer students and their wealthier peers had been closing from about 2010 onwards, but that progress began to stall in 2018, probably because of funding pressures on schools, said Sally. Since Covid, the gap has grown and though there have been small signs of improvement recently, the gap remains far bigger than before the pandemic.<\/p>\n \u201cCovid blew it all out of the water. The government would say there\u2019s some evidence the attainment gap is closing slightly, but it\u2019s still absolutely huge,\u201d Sally said. \u201cDisadvantaged four-year-olds are already on the back foot by the time they start school.\u201d<\/p>\n What is Labour doing?<\/strong><\/p>\n Since Labour has come in it has expanded free school meals, including introducing free breakfast clubs into all primary schools in England. From this week, working parents who earn up to \u00a3100,000 a year will be entitled to 30 hours\u2019 free childcare a week during term time for children from the age of nine months until they start school. \u201cCritics would say it barely scratches the surface,\u201d said Sally.<\/p>\n Labour\u2019s flagship child poverty strategy will not be published until autumn. The decision to push back the strategy comes amid concerns about the cost implications of ending the two-child limit on universal credit. Experts say scrapping the benefit limit would be the single most effective way of reducing child poverty \u2013 an estimated 100 children are pulled into poverty every day by the limit, meaning up to 20,000 could be affected by a six-month delay.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody is waiting to see the sort of child poverty strategy. I think that will be key to how their success is regarded,\u201d said Sally. \u201cAt the heart of that is the two child benefit cap. The general feeling is that it needs to go, and it\u2019s responsible for keeping too many families in poverty. Poverty is an enemy of opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/span>Is Donald Trump a dictator?<\/span> Illustration: Angelica Alzona\/Guardian Design<\/p>\n Is Donald Trump<\/strong> a dictator? Adam Gabbatt surveys the US president\u2019s inflammatory actions \u2013 from deploying the national guard to his compulsive use of executive orders. He speaks with political scientists about where Trump currently sits on the spectrum of between democracy, authoritarianism and outright dictatorship. (From more by Adam, sign up to his Week in Trumpland newsletter here.) Craille Maguire Gillies, newsletters team<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n More and more people are blocking out the news because it fills them with dread. This piece examines the emotional toll of \u201cdoomscrolling<\/strong>\u201d, and gives tips on how to stay engaged and not fall into a pit of negativity \u2013 if you can face reading it. Phoebe<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Dr Velislava Hillman is persuasive about how AI in education<\/strong> is a lot less revolutionary than big tech companies might make it seem. \u201cWhat is sold as the \u2018democratisation\u2019 of education may be entrenching further inequality,\u201d she writes, as the elite opt for human tutoring and the less-privileged are offered mass, app-based instruction. Craille<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Some great news from conservationists who have found Mexico\u2019s jaguar population<\/strong> has increased 30%. The main thing they\u2019ve done is protect natural areas to keep these beautiful cats away from cattle ranchers. \u201cMexico and the world need good news,\u201d said one of the conservationists. Here\u2019s to that. Phoebe<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Perhaps I am not a better cook after listening to episode 20 of the four-part podcast Home Cooking<\/strong>, but I am certainly charmed by the sibling-like camaraderie of its hosts, Samin Nosrat and Hrishikesh Hirway. Craille<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what\u2019s happening and why it matters<\/p>\n Privacy Notice: <\/strong>Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.<\/span><\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n <\/span>Newcastle United\u2019s Alexander Isak will depart for Liverpool.<\/span> Photograph: Andrew Couldridge\/Action Images\/Reuters<\/p>\n Football<\/strong><\/em> | Liverpool broke the British transfer record to sign Alexander Isak for \u00a3125m from Newcastle on deadline day but were foiled in an attempt to end a stunning window with a deal for Marc Gu\u00e9hi. Transfer roundup<\/p>\n Golf<\/strong><\/em> | Europe will defend the Ryder Cup later this month with 11 of the 12 players who saw off the United States in Rome two years ago after captain Luke Donald unsurprisingly opted for experience with his wildcard picks.<\/p>\n Tennis<\/strong><\/em> | The All England Club is not looking to change the format of the Wimbledon mixed doubles competition for future editions of the Championships despite the success of the \u201creimagined\u201d tournament at the US Open.<\/p>\n \u201cPM tries to regain policy control from Treasury in No 10 shake-up\u201d says the Guardian <\/strong>and the Telegraph<\/strong> depicts Rachel Reeves as \u201cSmiling through the pain\u201d after being \u201cfrozen out by Starmer\u201d. The i paper\u2019s<\/strong> version is \u201cStarmer seizes grip of budget after Treasury \u2018mistakes\u2019 hit Labour in polls\u201d and the Financial Times<\/strong> has \u201cStarmer acts to arrest slide with shake-up in Downing St\u201d. The Express<\/strong> runs with \u201cFarage\u2019s \u2018I\u2019ll get rid of you\u2019 threat to PM\u201d. The Daily Mail<\/strong> fumes \u201c\u2018One in, one out\u2019 fiasco: 3,567 in, zero out\u201d. \u201cRefugees to be stopped bringing in families\u201d \u2013 that\u2019s the Times<\/strong>. \u201cI\u2019d be safer in Somalia\u201d \u2013 the Metro<\/strong> says its interviewee wants to be sent back. \u201cBan the vapes\u201d is the top story in the Mirror<\/strong> which says experts are warning of irreversible harm to young brains and hearts.<\/p>\n <\/span>Kim Jong-un with some North Korean military officers<\/span> Photograph: KCNA\/EPA<\/p>\n North Korean defector on why Kim Jong-un has sent troops to Ukraine<\/strong><\/p>\n When Hyun-Seung Lee was 17 he was conscripted into the North Korean army. Meals were basic and conditions were poor. Reports emerged in October last year of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia in Ukraine. Hyun-Seung Lee, now living as a defector in the US, believes they will be gaining invaluable experience.<\/p>\n <\/span> Illustration: Ben Jennings\/The Guardian<\/p>\n A bit of good news to remind you that the world\u2019s not all bad<\/em><\/p>\n <\/span>Tina Woods AKA Tina Technotic in San Francisco.<\/span> Photograph: Marek Misiurewicz\/International Institute of Longevity<\/p>\n Tina Woods started clubbing in her mid-50s, after having an \u201cepiphany moment\u201d on a dancefloor. \u201cThe joy I felt \u2013 the mind, body and soul connection \u2013 was like a lightning bolt,\u201d she says in this week\u2019s edition of A new start after 60. After a few years of clubbing came another epiphany: wanted to be a DJ.<\/p>\n Dancing and DJing has also helped her connect to herself. \u201cI\u2019m finding myself again, in a funny sort of way. Psychologically, emotionally, sexually. Everything about who I am as a woman,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Sign up here for a weekly roundup of The Upside, sent to you every Sunday<\/strong><\/p>\n And finally, the Guardian\u2019s puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Good morning. It\u2019s back-to-school week, and the daily ritual (or, perhaps, panic) begins as uniforms are being donned and lunchboxes packed across the UK to start a new year. My sympathies to you teachers setting early morning alarms, and parents dragging children out of bed after six weeks of lie-ins. Last year, Keir Starmer promised<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18667,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[57],"tags":[1043,841,150,11410,2196,334,588,6538,1569],"class_list":{"0":"post-18666","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-education","8":"tag-briefing","9":"tag-britains","10":"tag-news","11":"tag-persist","12":"tag-problems","13":"tag-school","14":"tag-schools","15":"tag-tuesday","16":"tag-year"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18666","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18666"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18666\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18667"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Five big stories<\/h2>\n
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