Every two and a half minutes, a child is reported missing in the UK, and misunderstandings about how to respond can hinder crucial action. As part of its SafeCall campaign with charity Missing People, The Independent separates fact from fiction. Young people are encouraged to reach out for support if they feel alone, and the myth of the so-called "24-hour rule" is dispelled. If a child's whereabouts are unknown, or they could be at risk, the advice is to call the police immediately. By Harriette Boucher. 

Writing in Independent School Management Plus, Gareth Parker-Jones, head of Rugby School, reflects on the recent curriculum and assessment review, and warns that it falls short of the radical change required to improve England's education system. On the role of the UK independent sector, Mr Parker-Jones says "we already do everything [the review] recommends – and more", highlighting bursary and partnership programmes that "do a huge amount to deliver the enrichment the government says it would like to see accessible to more students". He concludes: "Sadly, we have a government that has endorsed the unambitious Francis report and attacked the excellence and diversity of approach to be found in many academies, independent schools and the IB. A closed mind makes no progress."

Nearly one third of the world’s 15,000 international schools follow a form of the English curriculum, so the government's changes will have a far-reaching impact. In an article in Tes, international school leaders share their reactions to the review. Colin Bell, CEO of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS), says reducing the focus on "high-stakes examinations" is a positive step, but questions whether reviewing the curriculum every 10 years, as put forward by Professor Francis and tacitly accepted by ministers, could create too long a gap. "It’s late 2025 now and these changes won’t come in until 2028 – the world will be very different then, let alone 2035," he warns. By Dan Worth and Emma Seith.

Schools in England are to be given an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated target for minimum pupil attendance, ministers have announced. The targets, reflecting the attendance levels of similar schools and taking into account factors such as deprivation, location and pupil needs, will be issued to headteachers this month to help boost attendance rates, which remain below pre-pandemic levels. The move has been dismissed by unions who say it would put further pressure on already overloaded school leaders. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, said: "The reality is that schools are already working tirelessly to improve attendance, with many going way above and beyond what should be expected of schools every single day." By Sally Weale, The Guardian. 

In a blog marking this year's Partnerships Week, Liz Robinson from The King Alfred School (KAS) explains how putting mutual benefit at the heart of collaboration unlocks the true power of partnerships and results in impactful learning experiences for everyone involved.

Organisations tackling AI-generated child sexual abuse material could be granted more powers to protect children online, in legal changes that are due to be tabled today as an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill. Groups such as the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), as well as AI developers themselves, will be able to test the ability of AI models to create such content without breaking the law. This means they could address the problem at the source, rather than having to wait for illegal content to appear before they deal with it, according to Kerry Smith, chief executive of the IWF. By Mickey Carroll, Sky News. 

The government’s target for 75 per cent of children to be school-ready by 2028 has been described as "risky" by Dr Tammy Campbell, co-director for early years, inequalities and wellbeing at the Education Policy Institute. Addressing MPs during a Commons Education Select Committee session looking at how ministers can improve early years support for families, Dr Campbell warned that children on the brink of meeting the target will be pushed, but that those nowhere near it will be "neglected". Lydia Hodges, head of Coram Family and Childcare, added that the "good level of development" measure fails to leave any "nuance for progress", particularly regarding children born in the summer or with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). Tes.

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