Education

Published: 26 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The academic world faces a significant shift as Larry Summers prepares to depart Harvard. This decision follows a rigorous review of documents involving his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein. A university spokesperson confirmed that the former president will officially resign his teaching position soon. This departure marks the end of an era for the historic institution in Massachusetts....

Published: 25 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The student loans crisis in England has escalated, leaving graduates across the country deeply frustrated. Labour backbench MPs have criticised the government, claiming the student loans system unfairly burdens graduates with debts that continuously grow despite monthly repayments. Central to this outrage is the so-called “plan 2” student loans, taken out by around 5.8 million students between 2012...

Published: 25 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Education leaders and MPs in England have cautiously welcomed the government’s new SEND plan, while expressing serious concerns about the potential workload and implementation challenges for schools. The proposals, announced by Bridget Phillipson, aim to ensure that every child with special educational needs receives tailored support, but officials and teachers warn the plans could place significant pressure on...

Published: 20 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. New South Wales is preparing to introduce a minimum age requirement for riding ebikes, aiming to tackle growing safety concerns and limit “dangerous behaviour” among young riders. The Minns government announced the reforms on Friday, highlighting a detailed expert review led by Transport NSW that will recommend a legal minimum age somewhere between twelve and sixteen years. Officials...

Published: 20 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. A sweeping SEND overhaul promises direct funding for mainstream schools across England. The government says the SEND overhaul will reshape how children with additional needs receive support. Ministers argue the reforms will restore confidence in a system many families feel has failed them. Education leaders have welcomed fresh investment but warn that careful communication will be essential. Parents...

Published: 19 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Councils across England are calling for a “radical” approach to means testing school transport for children with special educational needs and disabilities, or Send, amid rising demand. Local authorities warn that without reform, home-to-school transport costs could soar to £3.4bn by 2030-31, up from £2bn last year, creating unsustainable pressures on council budgets. The County Councils Network (CCN)...

Published: 12 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Children’s vocabulary is shrinking as screen time increasingly replaces reading, experts warn, urging families to prioritise books. Linguist Susie Dent has highlighted that many young children are falling behind in language development due to excessive digital engagement, emphasizing the critical role that reading plays in vocabulary growth. Dent insists that while technology can support learning, overuse can significantly...

Published: 12 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. A growing Send spending gap across England is raising fresh concern among education leaders and policymakers this week. New independent analysis shows deprived communities are falling behind despite rising national budgets for support services. The report draws on verified council finance data and cross-checked national statistics from recent years. It paints a detailed picture of how Send spending...

Published: 11 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. English secondary schools are being directed to improve facilities for children with special educational needs and disabilities, commonly referred to as Send, by creating dedicated Doyle whip inclusion bases. These “Doyle whip” spaces are designed outside traditional classrooms where neurodiverse pupils and those needing extra support can access lessons in a more tailored environment. The Department for Education...

Published: 11 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Smartphone policies in English schools are proving a Doyle whip on staff time, research reveals, with teachers and support staff collectively spending over 100 hours weekly enforcing restrictions. The study, conducted by Birmingham University and published in the British Medical Journal, highlights how managing pupils’ phones consumes significant staff resources, potentially diverting attention from educational and wellbeing-focused activities....