About 130,000 students will be contacted directly by the Home Office and warned that they face deportation if they overstay their visas. The government launched the new campaign following what it has called an "alarming" spike in the number of international students arriving legally on student visas then claiming asylum when they expire. Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union, described the move as an "attack on international students", adding: "They should instead be making the case for a welcoming and economically strong Britain, of which international students and a world-leading higher education sector are an integral part." By Rachel Hall, The Guardian. 

The Centre for Cities think tank has warned that a crackdown on international students in Britain could hurt struggling cities where universities help power the local economy. The impact would be felt most in cities like Leicester, Plymouth, Hull and Stoke-on-Trent, the think tank claims, as their local universities play an outsized role in supporting jobs, economic activity and exports in these areas. By Richard Partington, The Guardian. 

Esther Ghey, the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, is calling on the government to implement a ban on mobile phones in schools. She says the move would safeguard children, improve their behaviour, and boost their engagement in class. Brianna was stabbed to death in February 2023 by two 15-year-olds after being lured to a park in Warrington. In the lead-up to the attack, her killers had spent time scrolling the dark web. Meanwhile, Brianna was struggling with an eating disorder and self-harm, both of which were exacerbated by phone addiction. Esther has written an open letter to Sir Keir Starmer and education secretary Bridget Phillipson, backed by a number of high-profile signatories, which she will deliver to 10 Downing Street next month. By Shingi Mararike, Sky News.  

The Department for Education has confirmed that schools taking part in the Mandarin Excellence Programme will now receive £15,000 per child, down from £20,000. Funding for flights to China, enrichment trips to Chinese universities, and retention payments has also been scaled back. Seventy-six schools and 20 sixth forms currently offer the lessons, which were first introduced by the Conservative government. Support for the scheme has reportedly been "reshaped" following evaluation evidence, so schools can "more easily timetable" Mandarin lessons alongside other subjects. Schools Week. 

A feature piece in Tes considers the validity of some of the claims made by Jonathan Haidt in his book, The Anxious Generation. Mr Haidt asserts that increasingly sophisticated social media platforms – accessed via smartphones – have led to a surge in social deprivation, sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, and addiction among young people. Some critics have questioned Mr Haidt's interpretation of the evidence and accused him of "selling fear", arguing that current research "does not support the widespread panic around social media and mental health". By Jon Severs.

Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, has claimed that special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision is being "hijacked by parents who are abusing the system". In an interview ahead of his party's conference in Birmingham this week, he said some children are receiving SEND support "who don't need it" and described the current situation as "a major crisis". Councils across the country have warned of the rising costs of SEND provision, and are grappling with soaring levels of demand for support. When asked how Reform UK would tackle these issues, Mr Tice said his party was "determined to cut out waste and abuse". By Charlotte Wright, BBC News.

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