Primary schools

‘Much easier to say no’: Irish town unites in smartphone ban for young children

Parents and schools across Greystones adopt voluntary ‘no-smartphone code’ in bid to curb peer pressure

Rory Carroll Ireland correspondent

03, Jun, 2023 @8:00 AM

Vote to close 167-year-old school angers villagers in North Yorkshire

Opponents claim Skelton Newby Hall school – which has just one pupil – is victim of ‘managed wind-down’

Mark Brown North of England correspondent

30, May, 2023 @3:04 PM

Starting young on the politics of argument | Letters

Letters: John Sommer, Martin Cooper and Lyn A Dade respond to an article by Alastair Campbell on teaching politics in primary school

29, May, 2023 @4:18 PM

More than 90 English primary schools to close or face closure for lack of pupils

Guardian analysis lays bare effect of dwindling pupil numbers and associated funding amid rising housing and childcare costs

Carmen Aguilar García and Heather Stewart

29, May, 2023 @11:34 AM

Primary school Sats paper that upset pupils used text from New York Times

One headteacher said 12-page reading test that reduced children to tears was ‘scary and quite middle class’

Sally Weale Education correspondent

18, May, 2023 @4:54 PM

Wednesday briefing: Are standardised tests failing children?

In today’s newsletter: Sats tests have left students in tears, and teachers and parents calling for an overhaul. Here’s how they are supposed to work – and what critics say needs to change

Archie Bland

17, May, 2023 @5:53 AM

Low pay ‘forcing teaching assistants out of UK classrooms’

Three quarters say they feel undervalued and are thinking about quitting, charity warns

Anna Fazackerley

14, May, 2023 @8:00 AM

Pupils don’t mark their own homework, so why should Ofsted? | Letter

Letter: The only way to complain against an Ofsted judgment is to go through Ofsted itself, writes Dr Sean Lang

05, May, 2023 @4:34 PM

Tell us: have you been affected by primary school closures in England?

If a primary school where your children attend has recently closed, or is under threat of closure, we’d like to hear from you

Guardian community team

05, May, 2023 @11:56 AM

Don’t talk to pupils about misogynist Andrew Tate, government urges teachers in England

Advice comes despite charity’s warning that social media figure is fuelling shocking growth of misogyny in schools

Anna Fazackerley

29, Apr, 2023 @2:00 PM

Children read almost 25% more books last year, UK and Ireland study finds

What Kids Are Reading report found communities on sites such as TikTok helped stimulate interest in reading

Jamie Grierson

24, Apr, 2023 @11:01 PM

Drop in London primary applications puts future of some schools at risk

Demand for reception class places fell by 2.7% this year, prompting fears some institutions may be forced to merge or close