Speaking to Jon Smith on BBC Radio Gloucestershire yesterday, David Morton, head of The King's School, and Marc Matthews, a parent at the school, discuss Labour's plan to add VAT to independent school fees. Mr Morton outlines some of the preparations his school is making to minimise any potential costs passed on to parents. Mr Matthews, who has two daughters attending The King's School, says that while school fees constitute the family's biggest outgoing every month, he believes it is also "the best investment we make every month". 

Children have been let down by a lack of research and "remarkably weak" evidence on medical interventions in gender care, according to a landmark review published by paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass. The Cass Review calls for gender services for young people to match the standards of other NHS care, amid concerns the "toxicity" of the debate around gender has left professionals "afraid" to openly discuss their views. By Josh Parry and Hugh Pym, BBC News.  

The Times reports on the findings of a review which concluded that the field of medicine aimed at enabling children to change gender had been "built on shaky foundations". Dr Cass found that there was no good evidence to support the practice of prescribing hormones to under-18s to halt puberty or transition to the opposite sex. 

Sajid Javid, a Conservative MP and former health secretary, has welcomed the findings of the Cass report and is calling on all political parties to work together to tackle "loopholes" in the prescription of puberty blockers. The Times.  

The Telegraph summarises key findings from the Cass Review. By Michael Searles and Laura Donnelly. 

Technology secretary Michelle Donelan is considering proposals to ban children under 16 from buying mobile phones in an effort to protect young people from the harmful effects of social media. This comes after the government issued guidance urging schools to ban mobile phones in the classroom to reduce disruption and improve behaviour. By Daniel Martin, The Telegraph. 

A leading article in The Times welcomes a school's decision to introduce lockable pouches for pupils' smartphones, saying: "Other solutions may be available, but the concept is a clear success. Merely banning pupils from bringing phones to school inconveniences parents and incentivises the illicit smuggling in of devices, which are then sneaked out in playgrounds."

Sir Ed Davey has called for an end to the "postcode lottery" on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision. The Liberal Democrat leader has outlined how the party would set up a national body to ensure children with complex needs receive tailored support, and had called for an additional £300 million dedicated to SEND. By Jennifer McKiernan, BBC News. 

A new report has warned that half of state school students lack access to work experience opportunities, meaning they are at a "double disadvantage" when applying to top universities. The Speakers for Schools charity has called on Russell Group universities to extend their outreach activities to schools serving disadvantaged communities, and wants the government to ensure schools and colleges are "adequately funded to support universal access to high-quality work experience for all". By George Phillips, Tes. 

Children from low-income families who grew up near a Sure Start centre achieved GCSEs up to three grades higher than their peers, according to a study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Sure Start was established in 1998 to support new parents, especially those in disadvantaged areas, but many centres have since closed. By Nathan Standley, BBC News. 

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