- Independent parents report stronger engagement, Parentkind study finds
- What is the solution to the 'never-ending problem' of discipline in schools?
- Surge in secondaries using lockable pouches for mobiles, data suggests
- A closer look at Japan's approach to teaching maths
- Shorten school holidays to reduce pressure on families, says travel expert
Independent parents report stronger engagement, Parentkind study finds
Independent sectorAn increasing number of parents are disengaging from their children's education, the annual National Parent Survey from Parentkind has revealed, with researchers warning that it could risk pupils falling behind. The charity's findings suggest that some parents are suffering from burnout as a result of having too many commitments, leaving them feeling they are letting down their children and employers. By Nicola Woolcock and Georgia Lambert, The Times. The study found almost seven in 10 (69 per cent) of independent school parents say their child's school listens to parents compared with just over half (51 per cent) of state school parents (page 54). Two in five (40 per cent) of independent school parents have had to make cutbacks elsewhere to afford the costs associated with sending their child to school (page 75), and children at independent schools are more than twice as likely to spend between three and five hours on enrichment activities each week, compared with children in state schools (12 per cent vs five per cent; page 85).
In a letter to The Times, Cristina Odone, founder of the Parenting Circle, agrees with Parentkind chief executive Frank Young, who wrote in the paper earlier this week on the benefits of parents engaging with schools in boosting children's learning and behaviour. Calling for disadvantaged parents to be given extra support, Ms Odone concludes: "We echo Young's appeal to the education secretary: every school should appoint a member of staff in charge of this vital task."
The letter appears below halfway.
What is the solution to the 'never-ending problem' of discipline in schools?
General educationThe Times explores whether traditional school punishments such as detentions still work, and the growing challenges schools face in maintaining discipline. Journalist Esther Walker speaks to James Kazi, under master and designated safeguarding lead at Westminster School, who says: "Punishment isn't valuable for its own sake; instead, [it is] much more a tool that can be used to help children understand why their behaviour was poor, and to build greater self-regulation."
Surge in secondaries using lockable pouches for mobiles, data suggests
Mobile phonesA surge in the use of lockable pouches for pupils' mobile phones means they are now used by more than one in five secondary schools, a survey by Teacher Tapp has revealed. The findings come as schools have been told to become "mobile phone-free environments by default" under guidance that ministers have made statutory for schools from this term. Some 36 per cent of secondary teachers said their schools either took phones in or used pouches or lockers to store them, which is up from 14 per cent in September 2025 and eight per cent in November 2024. Tes notes that a framework was set up to provide schools with lockable phone pouches earlier this year. By John Roberts.
A closer look at Japan's approach to teaching maths
International educationTes looks at what UK schools could learn from Japan's approach to maths, where lessons focus on problem solving, reasoning and pupils comparing different ways of reaching a solution. The article explores how Japanese lesson study and collaborative planning could be adapted in UK classrooms, but recognises that making the changes would take time. "Perhaps, then, the most important thing the UK could take from Japan is not its approach to maths lessons but its positioning of teachers as subject experts who work collaboratively", concludes freelance writer Zofia Niemtus.
Shorten school holidays to reduce pressure on families, says travel expert
General educationSchool summer holidays should be shortened to reduce pressure on families and travel infrastructure, Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the industry consortium Advantage Travel Partnership, has said. She said the traditional six-week summer holiday was "out of step" with the travel habits of today, and the increasingly hot European summers are making July and August "increasingly challenging" for holidaymakers. The Advantage Travel Partnership, in partnership with UK Outbound Travel Group, is asking local councils for two weeks of the summer break to be redistributed across October and February half-terms to reduce peak-season pressure. By Natalie Wilson, The Independent.