In a joint letter to the education secretary, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, and Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, have called the decision to end free COVID testing for school staff and pupils "reckless in the extreme". By Callum Mason, Tes.

In an interview with The Guardian Jemma, a nursery school teacher in West Sussex, discusses how the pandemic has impacted child development. She states: "They’re quite advanced in numbers and letters for their age because they’ve been at home with adults, or they’ve been playing a lot on tablets, but they are very behind socially, the empathy isn’t there." By Rachel Hall.

iNews reports that many families live in dread of their children outgrowing their shoes and clothes as they can not afford to replace them as a result of the rising cost of living. Kate France, who founded Uniform Exchange in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, said: "Many people’s energy bills have already gone up by about £400 – that’s the cost of a full school uniform for a high school child.” By Aasma Day.

According to The Guardian, a cross-party group of MPs and peers has joined forces with UK universities in writing a letter to the home secretary calling for the visa scheme for Ukrainian refugees to be extended to temporary placements for students and academics. By Peter Walker.

Dr Kojo Koram, a lecturer at the University of London, writes for The Guardian on plans to introduce a new curriculum that highlights the “benefits” of the British Empire, as well as its negatives. Dr Koram warns that "back-and-forth argument over the morality of a centuries-long process will circulate endlessly, ultimately making the topic feel like a pointless dispute over a long-distant past".

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has been accused of hiring an “army of spin doctors” after it emerged that 43 people worked in its communications department. By Mike Wade, The Times.

The Environment Agency is running a pilot scheme at Archbishop Temple Church of England High School to see how video games can help raise awareness and find solutions to problem flooding. BBC News.

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