Attendance data from a sample of schools suggests around half of schools in the north of England closed yesterday to at least some pupils because of industrial action by teachers in membership of the National Education Union (NEU). An estimated 200,000 teachers in England and Wales will be striking this week in an ongoing dispute over pay and funding. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week.

Speaking to Sky News, Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU, said his union "sincerely regrets the disruption to children’s education and parents’ work and home lives" but that the strike action being taken by teachers is for a "high moral purpose to try and get the Government to invest in this generation of children". By Louisa Clarence-Smith, The Telegraph.

Tes features a live report on the strikes that is being updated throughout the day.

As more than 800,000 families across England hear today if their child has a place at their first-preference school, research suggests that poorer children experience “geographic exclusion” from top state schools as they cannot afford to live close enough to get in. According to the findings, published by the University of Bristol, very few state secondary schools give priority to pupils who qualify for free school meals, despite the Government’s admissions rules being altered allowing them to do so. By Richard Adams, The Guardian.

The Telegraph includes an article for parents on what to do if their child misses out on their preferred school place and offers advice on issues such as how to appeal decisions. By Louisa Clarence-Smith.

Analysis conducted by iNews has found that the UK’s top universities are split over how to respond to the artificial intelligence (AI) platform ChatGPT, with Oxford and Cambridge among those deciding to ban the technology over fears of cheating, while others are choosing to embrace it. Of the 24 Russell Group universities, eight have reportedly told students that using the AI bot for assignments will count as academic misconduct. By Poppy Wood.

According to the findings of a poll by YouGov, 80 per cent of the public in England would like the Government to extend free school meals to all children in households receiving universal credit, up from 72 per cent when The Independent launched its Feed the Future campaign five months ago. The poll comes as new figures from the Food Foundation suggest the number of households in England with children in poverty has nearly doubled to 22 per cent, up from 11.6 per cent in January 2022. By David Cohen.

Cabinet minster Michael Gove has suggested parents should face cuts to their child benefit if they fail to ensure their children turn up at school. Addressing delegates at an event held by think tank Onward, Mr Gove said the idea could help restore an "ethic of responsibility" and tackle anti-social behaviour. By Paul Seddon, BBC News.

A petition calling for schools to teach pupils about bereavement has received over 10,000 signatures. Launched by John Adams, president of the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD), the petition says schools "should be required to provide age-appropriate education to help children understand death as a part of life, as part of compulsory relationships education". BBC News.

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