5 h. ago Gen Zs won’t start taking their pension seriously until they are 34

Brits would be on track to have a ‘comfortable’ retirement if they saved an average of £275 a month into their pension from the age of 22, according to experts.

Politics

5 h. ago The School Bank West Lothian is helping children participate and learn with dignity

It was founded in 2015 by local parents who saw the crisis within the community

Politics

11 h. ago Simple ways parents can help children learn to read as they start school

If your child has just started school, phonics expert Ann Sullivan shares her top tips for helping them learn to read at home

Society

13 h. ago I'm a phonics expert and these are the simple actions every parent should do

If your child is a baby or toddler and yet to start school, you can still prepare them at home for what's to come. Phonics expert Ann Sullivan shares her top tips for encouraging a love of books in your little one

Politics

27 h. ago Ukrainian children forced to learn underground as new year starts in the shadow of Russian assaults

One child recalled how a drone strike was intercepted near their home

Events

33 h. ago I’ve seen how big tech has transformed the classroom – and parents are right to be worried | Velislava Hillman

I’ve examined how commercial technologies reshape education – often in ways parents instinctively resist, but are told to ignoreDr Velislava Hillman is an academic, teacher, writer and consultant on educational technology and policy.A quiet transformation is unfolding in schools: commercial technology is rapidly reshaping how children learn, often without much public debate or inquiry.From the near-ubiquity of Google and Microsoft to speculative AI products such as Century Tech, big and ed tech alike promise “personalised learning” while harvesting vast amounts of data and turning education to monetisable widgets and digital badges.Dr Velislava Hillman is an academic, teacher, writer and consultant on educational technology and policy. She is the author of Taming Edtech Continue reading...

Science

33 h. ago Big tech has transformed the classroom – and parents are right to be worried | Velislava Hillman

I’ve examined how commercial technologies reshape education – often in ways parents instinctively resist, but are told to ignoreDr Velislava Hillman is an academic, teacher, writer and consultant on educational technology and policy.A quiet transformation is unfolding in schools: commercial technology is rapidly reshaping how children learn, often without much public debate or inquiry.From the near-ubiquity of Google and Microsoft to speculative AI products such as Century Tech, big and ed tech alike promise “personalised learning” while harvesting vast amounts of data and turning education to monetisable widgets and digital badges.Dr Velislava Hillman is an academic, teacher, writer and consultant on educational technology and policy. She is the author of Taming Edtech Continue reading...

Science

1 week ago Tech expert's holiday phone hack every parent should know before travelling

Tech expert shares the simple phone hack that can keep children safe on holiday, parents should enable this setting on smartphones, as risk doubles for the type of content kids can reach when abroad

Technology

2 w. ago A new start after 60: I read out my old diaries online – and my youthful secrets went viral

When Betsy Lerner began her unfiltered readings, she found an unexpected following and a new sense of connectionBetsy Lerner doesn’t see herself as a TikTok star – though the New York Times described her as one – or an influencer. That means payment and swag – all she’s had is a free pen. “I really do it for myself,” she says, “and for the people who follow me”.Lerner, 64, has for 20 years worked as a literary agent for writers including Patti Smith and Temple Grandin. She’s an author of nonfiction and now of a debut novel, Shred Sisters – “a love letter to loneliness”. But the “doing” she’s talking about is on TikTok, where she has amassed 1.5m likes for videos in which she reads from the diaries she wrote in her turbulent 20s. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Parents can claim £75 to buy new school uniforms ahead of term starting

It's back to school season and parents just need to make one simple move to see their savings doubled up to a maximum of £75 per child for school uniform purchases.

Economics

3 w. ago Major Greater Manchester MP backs M.E.N. campaign for homeless children's bus pass

Thousands of homeless Greater Manchester parents are facing a simple choice - but it's a decision the Manchester Evening News believes no parent should make. That's why we're calling on the mayor to change things.

Society

3 w. ago Teen told Mum 'I’m trying my best but nobody understands me' days before murder

Harvey Willgoose’s mum is urging the Government to act on ‘school avoiders’ like her son, after being shocked to learn that one in five children miss school daily.

Events

4 w. ago Parents, don’t panic – healthy screen time for children is possible, if you follow these few simple tips | Kaitlyn Regehr

Yes, the huge firms pushing unsuitable content must be regulated. But until they are, adults can model the positive use of techDr Kaitlyn Regehr is the programme director of digital humanities at University College LondonThis summer the technology secretary, Peter Kyle, announced he was considering a two-hour “screen time” cap on children’s use of social media apps – a proposal that is not just insufficient, it’s outdated.Though appropriately placed at the start of the summer holiday – a time when kids’ screen time can increase, along with the onus on parents to ensure the safety of such engagement – Kyle’s announcement is linked to somewhat stale screen time guidance. We should indeed be thinking about moderating time on screens, but the proposed cap addresses only the quantity of consumption, not the quality. Fortunately, as someone who lectures on digital literacy (and is a mother), I can tell you there are some ways to push back and create healthier habits for children this summ...

Society