Almost one million children in the UK do not have a single book of their own at home, according to research by the National Literacy Trust. There is also a gap in book ownership between children who receive free school meals and those who do not.

New polling suggests the government could struggle to convince older workers and people outside of London to take out a student loan for lifelong learning tuition costs. Over 2,000 adults were surveyed by Public First for their views on lifelong learning and their expectations of who should pay for it.

Overseas teachers will be exempt from the government’s new visa crackdown, the Home Office suggested. James Cleverly announced the pay threshold for workers coming into the UK would be lifted from £26,200 to £38,700 in the spring.

Ofsted is reviewing its training for inspectors to include more guidance on managing headteacher stress during inspections, a senior official told the inquest into the death of headteacher Ruth Perry.

The Department for Education is to look at attendance at multi-academy trust level to better understand how it can be improved in schools. The action is being taken following the latest meeting of the government’s Attendance Action Alliance (£). More here.

The proportion of four- and five-year-olds judged to have reached expected levels of learning at the end of Reception continues to remain low compared with pre-pandemic levels, government data revealed. More here.

Singing to babies is vital to help them learn language, say scientists from the University of Cambridge. A study found that infants first understand language via rhythm and tone rather than individual sounds. More here.

Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay and Dua Lipa are among the music industry leaders who have called for public funding for music in disadvantaged schools.

Having a single parent doesn’t determine your life chances – data shows that poverty is a far more important factor, says Professor Amy Brown, Professor of Child Public Health at Swansea University.

Plans to provide extra support for students sitting GCSEs next year have come too late in the day, because some schools have already run mock exams, headteachers’ leaders warned (£). More here.

Requests for special consideration in GCSE and A level exams have risen sharply since last year and before the pandemic. There were 700,600 requests for the 2023 summer GCSE, AS level and A level exams, up 19% on the year before. More here.

Reducing a bursary for Maths teachers in favour of retention payments in their early careers likely resulted in a net loss of almost 200 entrants to the profession, an evaluation found. More here.

A network of schools, Schools North East, demanded an NHS-style national campaign against abuse of staff by parents, as data showed bad behaviour at the school gates has risen by more than a quarter since 2020. More here.

A former headteacher spoke out after an autistic boy died. Isaac Uzoegbu, 16, was hit by a car after he ran from his house when his parents were struggling to cope with his behaviour. Frances Akinde said his death could have been prevented if Medway Council had better supported him.

College staff agreed pay deals of up to 10% at 24 more colleges across the country, the University and College Union (UCU) announced. More here.

A Luton college 'suspended' activities with a defence firm involved in the Israel and Palestine conflict following student pressure. Luton Sixth Form College said it would cut ties with Leonardo, an Italian firm that manufactures aircraft parts.