Education

The NHS app will become the default method of communication for millions more patients in England, as part of a digital transformation plan set to save the health service £200 million over the next three years, the UK government has announced. Digital-First Strategy to Replace Millions of Letters Under a £50 million investment, more test results, screening invitations, and appointment reminders will be delivered directly to patients’ smartphones, replacing traditional methods such as posted letters. Currently, the NHS sends an estimated 50 million letters annually. The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that patients without access to the NHS app—particularly elderly or digitally excluded individuals—will continue to receive SMS messages first, with letters as a...

NHS to Open Dozens of Mental Health Crisis Centres Across England Specialist mental health crisis centres are set to open across England over the next ten years in a major NHS initiative to reduce overcrowding in hospital A&E departments. Ten hospital trusts have piloted the new assessment units aimed at supporting people in mental health crisis, offering care in a calm environment and helping them avoid long waits in emergency departments. NHS England says the scheme is part of its wider ten-year plan to transform emergency mental health support and reduce pressure on frontline services, including the police. Walk-in Clinics to Support Patients in Mental Distress The planned centres will be open to walk-in patients and those referred by GPs or emergency services. Ea...

The University of York India campus will open in Mumbai by 2026, offering UK degrees in AI, business, and more. Learn about the partnership and academic plans. University of York India Campus Set to Open in Mumbai by 2026 The University of York India campus is officially in the works, as the UK-based institution expands its global reach with a new site in Mumbai, Maharashtra. In a major move for transnational education, the university has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, setting its sights on welcoming students by the 2026/27 academic year. Strategic Global Growth in Partnership With India Announced at a ceremonial MoU signing, University of York Vice-Chancellor Prof Charlie Jeffery met with Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra’s ...

The UK will shift its clocks forward by one hour this Sunday, signaling the arrival of British Summer Time (BST) and marking the conclusion of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). This seasonal adjustment brings extended daylight in the evenings as the country transitions into spring. When Does the Time Change Occur? At 1am on the last Sunday of March—this year, March 30—clocks will be moved an hour ahead. BST, commonly known as daylight saving time (DST), remains active until the final Sunday of October, when time will shift back by an hour. Will This Make Days Longer? Mornings will appear darker for a short period, but evenings will stay brighter as the sun sets later. As daylight hours continue to extend, some locations across the UK will experience nearly 19 hours of sunlight by June...

The Department of Education (DE) in Northern Ireland has unveiled plans to potentially provide free school meals to all pupils. However, the initiative could cost over £200 million annually if extended to every child. Limiting free meals to primary school pupils or younger children would reduce costs significantly. The department has launched a consultation on free school meals and uniform grants, detailing various options and associated costs. For example, extending free meals to all children up to Primary 3 would cost around £46 million a year, while including all primary school pupils up to Primary 7 would cost £103 million. Offering free meals to every schoolchild, regardless of income, would require £202 million annually. This proposal follows similar initiatives in other parts ...

The education secretary has announced that GCSE students should continue to receive formula and equation sheets to assist them in their exams. Originally, 2023 was set to be the final year for this post-Covid support. However, in a letter to England's exam regulator, Ofqual, Bridget Phillipson stated that the support should remain in place for at least the next three years. Teaching unions have praised the decision, expressing hope that it could lead to permanent changes. In her letter to Ofqual's chief regulator, Sir Ian Bauckham, Phillipson emphasized that the pandemic continues to impact students, and a government review of the curriculum and assessments, due next year, would provide recommendations for potential "long-term changes." Phillipson requested that Ofqual extend the ...

The University and College Admissions Service (UCAS) has announced a major change: it will replace the traditional personal statement with a new format involving responses to three specific questions. This change aims to "level the playing field" for all higher education applicants. Following extensive consultations with students, universities, and education experts, UCAS has chosen these three questions to ensure that applicants from all backgrounds clearly understand what universities and colleges are seeking: Why do you want to study this course or subject? How have your qualifications and studies prepared you for this course or subject? What additional experiences outside of education have prepared you for this course, and why are they valuable? The revised format will...

Colleges in England are calling for a review of an "exceptional and unfair" increase in the grade boundary for the English language GCSE exam designed for resit students. They argue that the 11-mark rise in the passing threshold this summer will force more students to retake the exam, adding financial strain on colleges. In a letter to exam board Pearson, 30 college leaders requested a reduction in the grade boundary for the GCSE English Language 2.0 exam. Pearson has expressed confidence in the grades issued, but the colleges claim to represent nearly 48,000 students adversely affected by the unexpected and late change in grade boundaries this year. The grading for GCSEs in England was anticipated to be similar to 2023 levels, with only minor adjustments expected. The 11-mark inc...