Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has announced a widening of the free breakfast clubs scheme, with around 2,000 primary schools in England expected to join the rollout. The plan is supported by £80 million (€92.0 million), and ministers say families could save up to £450 a year in childcare costs (€517.5). Ms Phillipson unveiled the plan as Labour delegates prepared to attend the party’s annual conference in Liverpool. She said: 'The […]

West Ham United have dismissed Graham Potter as head coach after nine months in charge. Potter was relieved of his duties two days ahead of West Ham's Premier League clash with Everton. The club's supporters had turnover against Potter following last weekend's defeat to Crystal Palace, and the owners have acted as West Ham seek a fourth manager in 18 months. In a club statement, West Ham United said: "West […]

Guinness World Records is marking its 70th anniversary by revisiting notable feats and introducing 70 records that have not yet been claimed. The first edition appeared on 27 August 1955 after a discussion in County Wexford, Ireland, in which Sir Hugh Beaver, then managing director of the Guinness Brewery, argued over the fastest game bird in Europe. Beaver and his hosts sought a reference to settle pub arguments and, in […]

The King and Queen are to hold a first audience with Pope Leo XIV during a state visit to Vatican City in late October to mark the 2025 jubilee year, Buckingham Palace said. Leo XIV was elected earlier this year following the death of Pope Francis. The couple’s planned Vatican trip in early April was cancelled because of the pope’s health, but they later met the pontiff privately in Italy […]

Education unions, school governors and head teachers have urged the government to scrap the two-child limit as part of the forthcoming child poverty strategy. In a letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the NGA, NAHT, ASCL, NEU, NASUWT and Unison warned there is a pressing need to remove the policy, arguing that it harms hundreds of thousands of children in schools and classrooms. They described the measure as cruel […]

Roksana Lecka, from Hounslow in west London, has been jailed for eight years after admitting seven counts of cruelty to a person under 16 and being convicted on a further 14 counts linked to abuse at two nurseries. The offences were uncovered in June 2024 after she was sent home from Riverside Nursery in Twickenham for pinching a number of children. At Kingston Crown Court, many of the victims’ parents […]