Over 100 English schools told to close buildings with ‘weak concrete’
More than 100 schools in England have had to suddenly close buildings that have been identified as having a ‘weak’ form of concrete.Read more
Philadelphia families rejoice at school’s new playground amid fears for children’s safety
When Duane Watts was a student at Edward Steel Elementary School in Philadelphia’s Nicetown neighbourhood more than 40 years ago, he remembers running excitedly out of his classroom for recess and being confronted with concrete.Read more
Hong Kong students design sustainable solutions for their schools
Students in Hong Kong have been giving their creative input on the ‘sustainable’ future of their schools through an innovative local and national partnership.Read more
Lost in space: open-plan classrooms can leave children adrift
We all know that talking and listening in large, noisy spaces (like restaurants, shopping centres or concert venues) is tough. Trying to piece together snippets of conversation with background noise is frustrating, exhausting and a...Read more
New Brooklyn (NYC) high school aims to create social justice-focused design professionals
Design Works High School, opening this autumn in downtown Brooklyn, New York City, has a mission: to create socially conscious design professionals.Read more
Parents have just started their own school in Sydney – this is part of a long tradition in Australia
The Australian newspaper recently reported how some parents have been prompted to start their own schools to give their children the type of education they want.Read more
Poverty is linked to poorer brain development – but reading can help counteract it
Early childhood is a critical period for brain development, which is important for boosting cognition and mental wellbeing. Good brain health at this age is directly linked to better mental heath, cognition and educational attainment...Read more
Banning mobile phones in Dutch classrooms is good news, say parents
Phones are to be banned from secondary school classrooms in The Netherlands because they are too much of a distraction for pupils.Read more
Vertical schools are increasingly common. This is what students want in ‘high’ school design
The traditional idea of a one-or-two-storey school, spread over a vast campus is no longer an option for some new schools. Population growth and a lack of land in urban areas mean some schools have...Read more
UK school building programme welcomed – but more is needed
More than 1,000 school building improvement projects in England have been given the go-ahead by the UK government.Read more
Australia: ‘Bush kinder’ turns nature novices into eco-experts
Studies show that children are drawn to nature and intrigued by the world around them. There are myriad benefits from playing and learning in nature.Read more
Better education needed for European children on road safety and mobility – report
Streets which surround schools have to be made safer for pedestrians and cyclists if active and safe mobility is to be encouraged among children, says a new report from a European alliance of road safety...Read more
Commissioner: Local authorities in England must be ‘first and best education champion’ for children in care
Vulnerable children in care in England are missing from school and at risk of becoming ‘invisible’ to the services there to support them, without any of the vital opportunities education provides. That’s the key takeaway message...Read more
USA: COVID learning loss driven more by school and community factors than household ones, research finds
Just as COVID hit some communities much harder than others, schools across the U.S. suffered disparate academic losses in the wake of the pandemic.Read more