Free School Meals Boost: The Department for Education says 3 million more children in England will be eligible for free school meals from September, alongside 1,400 new free breakfast clubs to ease the back-to-school squeeze. Phone-Free Schools Rollout: A Thames Valley police and crime commissioner will fund phone storage at 30 schools in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, using lockers or pouches as England’s smartphone ban takes effect. Ofsted “Exceptional” Ratings: Two West Midlands primary schools in Walsall have been awarded the new top Ofsted grade across three areas, highlighting how the revamped inspection system is judging schools more granularly. Student Finance Scam Warning: A new push targets students after reports of texts impersonating the student loans system, where scammers steal log-ins and divert repayments. Privacy Under Scrutiny: A study claims many UK gambling sites are breaching GDPR cookie rules, including failing to let users switch off tracking. Sport England Shift: Analysis suggests England has lost 183 tennis courts since 2023 while padel courts have surged to more than 2,200, showing a major change in school and community sport provision. North East Youth Unemployment: A report warns the North East’s NEET problem is costing nearly £7bn a year, driven by welfare incentives and an education system too focused on university destinations. Royal Security vs Schools: Prince Harry’s return has reignited debate over whether police protection should be funded by taxpayers, with his children reportedly starting school in the Cotswolds.