Schools

A BABY whose mother was not vaccinated against whooping cough has died after contracting the infection.

The UK Health Security Agency said the tot, thought to be under the age of one, died between March and June.

It is the first whooping cough death in the UK this year and comes after a child died of measles in Liverpool last month.

The agency’s Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam said: “Sadly, we are again reminded how severe whooping cough can be for very young babies.

“Vaccination is the best defence.

“It is vital pregnant women and infants receive their vaccines at the right time, ideally between 20 and 32 weeks.

“This passes protection to their baby in the womb so that they are protected from birth.”

Overall vaccination rates for primary school pupils are at the lowest for 15 years — with almost one in five not fully protected from diseases.

Over the coming weeks, millions of children will be flooding into classrooms across the UK.

And there’s a real risk they will return home with more than a few new friends and knowledge.

Pharmacist Thorrun Govind tells Sun on Sunday Health: “There’s often lots of hugging and playing between friends they haven’t seen all summer — and all that close contact means germs can easily spread.

“They also tend to cough and sneeze without covering their mouths and don’t always wash their hands without supervision.

“With early wake-ups, hard work in lessons and sports clubs, children can also get tired, which weakens their immune systems, leaving them prone to picking up illnesses.”

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SACRAMENTO — Legislation to eliminate student smoking areas on public high school campuses gained final legislative passage Wednesday night and was sent to Gov. George Deukmejian.

The Assembly voted 51 to 22 for the bill, providing 10 more votes than the simple majority required. A spokesman for Deukmejian said that the governor had not yet taken a position on the measure, which passed the Senate on Aug. 14.

Under the bill–which reverses an 8-year-old state policy that seeks to accommodate and control student smokers–pupils found to be possessing tobacco products at school would be subject to suspension or expulsion. Tobacco also would be prohibited at school-sponsored events.

Proponents of the measure said that providing smoking areas on campus makes a mockery of an existing state law making it illegal to sell or give tobacco products to minors.

“It’s sheer, utter hypocrisy that this bill is trying to correct,” the bill’s author, Assemblyman William J. Filante (R-Greenbrae), said during the floor debate.

Assembly Republican leader Pat Nolan of Glendale said, “We’ve outlawed minors (from) smoking and all this is saying is that (law) will be enforced in public buildings called schools.”

The 1978 law that allows school districts to set up campus smoking areas was adopted mainly to move student smokers from the lavatories and into areas separate from other students.

Filante said when the law was adopted eight years ago, health risks associated with the use of tobacco products, such as cigarettes, were not proven.

“We didn’t know what we know today. We didn’t know how much tobacco is involved with disease,” he said.

Opponents argued that the decision to offer smoking areas should be left to local school districts.

“It’s taking away one of the few local controls a school board has and leaving them defenseless. This is a bad idea,” Thomas M. Hannigan (D-Fairfield) said.

Hannigan contended that students who smoke simply will move back into the lavatories and “to the back of school buses.”

“It’s going to shift the problem to some other area of the school grounds,” he said.

About half of California’s 1,096 school districts allow smoking on campus. None of the 49 high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District permit smoking on campus.

The bill was backed by the attorney general’s office, the California State School Board, and more than 30 health and education organizations.

Aug. 29 (UPI) — The U.S. Department of Education has said Denver Public Schools violated Title IX’s prohibition against sex discrimination by having all-gender bathrooms, amid the Trump administration’s targeting of LGBT rights in public spaces.

The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened its investigation into the school district in late January after learning a month before that East High School had converted a second-floor, multi-stall bathroom for girls into an all-gender bathroom.

The Office for Civil Rights determined the district violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 as there was no girls-only designated washroom on the floor, though there was a boys-only washroom.

The school attempted to rectify the situation by converting the boys restroom into a gender-neutral bathroom as well, but the federal Office for Civil Rights states this still violates Title IX “because males are still allowed to invade sensitive female-only facilities.”

It was unclear if any other bathrooms in the district’s some 200 schools were all-gender facilities.

The Department of Education said Thursday that the district’s Denver Public Schools’ LGBTQ+ Toolkit that allows students to use bathrooms that match their gender identity in violation of Title IX.

Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights at the Department of Education, said in a statement that by having a gender-neutral washroom at East High School, the district create “a hostile environment for its students by endangering their safety, privacy and dignity while denying them access to equal educational activities and opportunities.”

“Denver is free to endorse a self-defeating gender ideology, but it is not free to accept federal taxpayer funds and harm its students in violation of Title IX,” he said.

President Donald Trump ran on an anti-transgender platform, and since returning to the White House in January has taken several executive actions that affect the LGBTQ communit’s rights, including some that impact public schools.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Education found five northern Virginia school districts in violation of Title IX over their transgender bathroom and changing room policies.

Maine, California, Oregon and Minnesota have also been under Trump administration investigations over allowing transgender girls to participate on girls’ sports teams.

“In the name of ‘equity,’ Denver Public Schools converted a girls’ restroom into an all-gender facility — putting gender ideology above girls privacy and dignity,” DOE Secretary Linda McMahon said on X.

WITH the new school year right around the corner, millions of parents are back to looking for lunch inspiration for their kids.

While fresh fruit, a sarnie and yoghurt are go-to picks for many families, one ”stay-at-home-dad” has left the internet stunned with his kid’s packed lunch.

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Foodie Tyler Yan regularly shares mouth-watering recipes on his TikTok, such as the viral Japanese Sando with strawberries and refreshing smoothie bowls for his wife.

But it’s not just Tyler’s partner who gets to enjoy his talent at cooking – their daughter, too, gets treated to luxury lunch boxes for school.

In a now-viral video posted on social media, the stay-at-home dad revealed he gave his daughter three glass jars full of fresh caviar which he served on ice to keep it cold.

The bizarre lunch also included crackers, a generous amount of cream cheese, which he hoped the girl would enjoy with smoked salmon.

For dessert, the child was given fresh figs – a lunch that ”sounded good”.

”Felt like a solid Wednesday move,” Tyler wrote in the caption.

The daughter, whose age is unknown, indeed gets to experience the finest things in life, as another clip saw Tyler filling her lunch box with octopus.

The ”Mediterranean-style box” also came with herby lemon quinoa, tomato cucumber salad, fresh figs, and marinated olives on the side.

On a different day, the girl went to school with a fresh arugula salad topped with cheese and steak cooked to perfection.

The epic lunch box, he shared in the video, also consisted of truffle fries, sauteed shiitake mushrooms, as well as sliced apples with peanut butter for something sweet.

But while Tyler created the jaw-dropping lunches with love and care, social media users weren’t so sure if his daughter actually enjoyed them.

Thousands of TikTokers insisted that the child must be trading her lunches with other kids and were in disbelief how luxe the food was.

”That lunch costs more than my rent,” one person thought about the caviar-rich box, which has racked up over 19million views.

”And she swapped it with a friend for stringy cheese, a yoghurt and a cookie,” another was convinced.

”Meanwhile all she wanted was a lunchable,” someone else agreed.

”bro just called me poor in so many ways,” a fourth chimed in.

However, not everyone came to share their criticism, as a fellow luxury foodie hit back at the trolls.

”as someone who grew up on stuff like this. no.. she doesn’t want the Lunchables or string cheese. She knows what she’s got.”

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WASHINGTON — Public schools reopened Monday in the nation’s tense capital with parents on edge over the presence in their midst of thousands of National Guard troops — some now armed — and large scatterings of federal law enforcement officers carrying out President Trump’s orders to make the District of Columbia a safer place.

Even as Trump started talking about other cities and again touted a drop in crime that he attributed to his extraordinary effort to take over policing in Washington, D.C., the district’s mayor was lamenting the effect of Trump’s actions on children.

“Parents are anxious. We’ve heard from a lot of them,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a news conference, noting that some might keep their children out of school because of immigration concerns.

“Any attempt to target children is heartless, is mean, is uncalled for and it only hurts us,” she said. “I would just call for everybody to leave our kids alone.”

Rumors of police activity abound

As schools opened across the capital city, parental social media groups and listservs were buzzing with reports and rumors of checkpoints and arrests.

The week began with some patrolling National Guard units now carrying firearms. The change stemmed from a directive issued late last week by his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Armed National Guard troops from Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee were seen around the city Monday. But not every patrol appears to be carrying weapons. An Associated Press photographer said the roughly 30 troops he saw on the National Mall on Monday morning were unarmed.

Armed Guard members in Washington will be operating under long-standing rules for the use of military force inside the U.S., the military task force overseeing all the troops deployed to D.C. said Monday. Those rules, broadly, say that while troops can use force, they should do so only “in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm” and “only as a last resort.”

The task force has directed questions on why the change was necessary to Hegseth’s office. Those officials have declined to answer those questions. Speaking in the Oval Office on Monday, Hegseth said that it was common sense to arm them because it meant they were “capable of defending themselves and others.”

Among their duties is picking up trash, the task force said, though it’s unclear how much time they will spend doing that.

Bowser reiterated her opposition to the National Guard’s presence. “I don’t believe that troops should be policing American cities,” she said.

Trump is considering expanding the deployments to other Democratic-led cities, including Baltimore, Chicago and New York, saying the situations in those cities require federal action. In Washington, his administration says more than 1,000 people have been arrested since Aug. 7, including 86 on Sunday.

“We took hundreds of guns away from young kids, who were throwing them around like it was candy. We apprehended scores of illegal aliens. We seized dozens of illegal firearms. There have been zero murders,” Trump said Monday.

Some other cities bristle at the possibility of military on the streets

The possibility of the military patrolling streets of Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, prompted immediate backlash, confusion and a trail of sarcastic social media posts.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a first-term Democrat, has called it unconstitutional and threatened legal action. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker deemed it a distraction and unnecessary as crime rates in Chicago are down, as they are nationwide.

Pritzker, often mentioned as a presidential contender, posted an Instagram video Monday of his 6 a.m. walk along a Lake Michigan path filled with runners and walkers.

“I don’t know who in Washington thinks that Chicago is some sort of hellhole, but you may need to look inward,” he said, mocking Trump’s term describing Washington.

Others raised questions about where patrols might go and what role they might play. By square mileage, Chicago is more than three times the size of Washington, and neighborhoods with historically high crime are spread far apart.

Former Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy, who also worked for the New York Police Department, wondered what the National Guard would do in terms of fighting street violence. He said if there was clear communication, they could help with certain tasks, like perimeter patrol in high-crime neighborhoods, but only as part of a wider plan and in partnership with police.

National Guard troops were used in Chicago to help with the Democratic National Convention last summer and during the 2012 NATO Summit.

Overall, violent crime in Chicago dropped significantly in the first half of 2025, representing the steepest decline in over a decade, according to police data. Shootings and homicides were down more than 30% in the first half of the year compared with the same time last year, and total violent crime dropped by over 22%.

Still, some neighborhoods, including Austin on the city’s West Side, where the Rev. Ira Acree is a pastor, experience persistent high crime.

Acree said he’s received numerous calls from congregants upset about the possible deployment. He said if Trump was serious about crime prevention, he would boost funding for anti-violence initiatives.

“This is a joke,” Acree said. “This move is not about reducing violence. This is reckless leadership and political grandstanding. It’s no secret that our city is on the president’s hit list.”

In June, roughly 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines were sent to Los Angeles to deal with protests over the administration’s immigration crackdown. California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, and other local elected officials objected.

Sherman, Khalil and Tareen write for the Associated Press. Tareen reported from Chicago. AP writers Konstantin Toropin and Will Weissert contributed to this report.

Despite claims that they wouldn’t be having a 23rd child, the Radfords have shocked viewers after a clip from the show appears to show Sue experiencing a pregnancy scare

Sue Radford has shocked viewers and sparked rumours of a pregnancy scare after a clip from an upcoming episode of 22 Kids and Counting showed her panic over a late period and “crazy” hormones.

Sue, who shares 22 children with husband Noel, turned 50 in March, and in the next episode of the reality show documenting the family’s life, we get to follow the lead-up to the milestone. In the promotional clip ahead of the air date, Sue can be seen saying: “My 50th is coming up, I feel like my hormones are crazy.”

In the 30-second video, we then hear a woman telling her: “I think it’s really risky for you to stop the pill.” The clip dramatically cuts to Sue approaching Noel and telling him she needs to talk because her period is “late”. The video ends on a cliff hanger, with both Noel and Sue stating: “Oh my God.”

The couple already have 22 children, who are: Chris, Sophie, Chloe, Jack, Daniel, Luke, Millie, Katie, James, Ellie, Aimee, Josh, Max, Tillie, Oscar, Casper, Hallie, Phoebe, Archie, Bonnie, and Heidie. Their 17th child, Alfie, was sadly still born in 2014.

Despite the show hinting at a possible pregnancy scare, Sue and Noel, 54, have previously insisted that Heidie was their last child. The five-year-old went to school for the first time last September, and Sue told the Mirror that she was finally enjoying having some free time with all the kids now out the house.

She said: “But I have to confess I did cry when she went to school. It’s such a big moment – your last baby going to school and you don’t have any more at home. I do also love having the house full and bustling.”

Ahead of her 50th this year, Sue explained that this birthday was a “big deal”, saying: “I said: ‘You know what, because I am turning 50, I am definitely having a whole year of celebrations!’”

The whole family, including the grandkids, headed to Disney World in Florida, US, to celebrate Sue in the Easter holidays. On her birthday, Noel wrote a heart-warming Instagram caption for his wife, in which he said: “Myself and all of our children want to wish this beautiful, loving, caring lady who we all call Sue and Mum a Happy big 50th Birthday today or as Sue says I’m 49 plus 1.”

Another milestone was celebrated in the Radford house this week, as Max received his GSCE results. The family announced the news of his success online, writing: “We are so incredibly proud of Max he passed his GCSE with mainly 7 and 8’s.”

They added: “He is so incredibly happy, well done Max we knew you would do it, very proud mum and dad moment.”

22 Kids and Counting is available to watch on My5

On a recent evening in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, an imam named Ibrahima Diane explained to a group of men why they ought to be more involved in household chores.

“The prophet himself says that a man who does not help to support his wife and children is not a good Muslim,” said the 53-year-old, as he described bathing his baby and assisting his wife with other duties.

Some of the men chuckled, not entirely convinced, while others applauded.

Diane was participating in a “school for husbands”, a United Nations-backed initiative in which respected male community members learn about “positive masculinity” in relation to health and social issues, and promote these concepts within their communities.

In Senegal, as in many other West African countries with large rural or conservative populations, men often have the final say in major household decisions, including those related to health.

Women may require their husbands’ permission for life-changing decisions, such as accessing family planning or other reproductive health services, as well as hospital deliveries or prenatal care.

After attending the school for husbands, Diane regularly delivers sermons during Friday prayers, in which he discusses issues around gender and reproductive health, from gender-based violence to combating stigma surrounding HIV.

“Many women appreciate my sermons,” he said. “They say their husbands’ behaviour has changed since attending them.” He added that some men have told him the sermons inspired them to become more caring husbands and fathers.

The programme was launched in Senegal in 2011, but in recent years has attracted the attention of the Ministry of Women, Family, Gender and Child Protection, which regards it as an effective strategy for combatting maternal and infant mortality.

“Without men’s involvement, attitudes towards maternal health will not change,” said Aida Diouf, a 54-year-old female health worker who collaborates with the programme. Many husbands prefer their wives not to be treated by male health workers, she explained.

Discussions for men have also focused on girls’ rights, equality, and the harmful effects of female genital mutilation.

The programme now operates at least 20 schools throughout Senegal, and more than 300 men have been trained.

In some communities, men who once enforced patriarchal norms now promote gender equality, a shift which has led to a reduction in the number of forced marriages and greater acceptance of family planning, according to Senegal’s Ministry of Gender.

Men join the groups after being recruited based on trust, leadership and commitment. Candidates must be married, respected locally, and supportive of women’s health and rights.

After training, the men serve as peer educators, visiting homes and hosting informal discussions.

Although maternal and infant deaths in Senegal have declined over the past decade, experts say there is still much progress to be made. The country recorded 237 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023, and 21 newborns out of every 1,000 died within their first month. The UN’s global target is to reduce maternal deaths to 70 per 100,000 live births and newborn deaths to under 12 per 1,000 by 2030.

A key problem is that many women have continued to give birth at home, said El Hadj Malick, one of the programme’s coordinators.

“By educating men about the importance of supporting their wives during pregnancy, taking them to hospital and helping with domestic work at home, you are protecting people’s health,” Malick said.

He noted that he still encounters difficulty in changing attitudes on some issues.

“But when we focus on women’s right to be healthy, it gives a human face to the concept and it becomes universal,” Malick said.

FORMER University students could be owed £1,000s in overpaid loans – here is how to check if you can get a refund.

In the last tax year, over one million third level education leavers overpaid their student loans, according to figures released by the Student Loans Company (SLC). 

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But there are a number of reasons you may have been overcharged on your loan.

According to MoneySavingExpert, this includes beginning to repay the loan during some months, despite not earning enough in the full year.

You are only required to pay your loan back once your income exceeds a certain annual threshold.

This varies depending on what type of plan you were on when you started university. There are five plans in total.

For example, those on Plan 1, who attended university between 1998-2011 are required to earn a minimum of £26,065 before they begin paying back their loan.

Minimum earnings thresholds vary from plan to plan, with those on Plan 2 who attended university between 2021-22 being required to earn £28,470 before they start making repayments.

The blog said that if your earnings vary throughout the year, i.e. if you received a bonus, this could lead you to start making repayments before you are actually required to.

Another reason you may have overpaid is if you were put on the wrong plan.

This can happen if you filled in the student loan section of the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) starter checklist form wrong.

You can check which plan you are on by visiting the Gov.uk website.

Alternatively, you may be overcharged if you began repaying your loan too early or you had money deducted after the loan was fully repaid.

How to get a refund if you have overpaid

If you think you have been overcharged, you can get the money back and there a few ways you can go about this.

The blog said that former students who began repaying the loan despite not meeting the earnings thresholds can request a refund online.

This is done via the government’s Student Loan Company (SLC) online portal.

To do this, you will need to sign in to your online repayment account and select ‘request a refund’.

Once you’ve requested a refund through your online account, it will be processed in 28 days.

The money will get paid into your bank account.

It is also worth nothing that this only applies for tax years up to 2023-24.

More ways to claim

Alternatively, students can speak to their employer or call the SLC.

This may be applicable if you entered the wrong plan when filling out an HMRC starter form.

Ahead of your call, you can check what plan you are on in your online account and download an ‘active plan type letter”.

You can call on 0300 100 0611 to discuss the matter with the SLC.

You can also call the helpline if you began repaying your loan too early.

The MSE blog said: “When you get through, explain your situation and ask to reclaim the money you’re owed.

“To make the process smoother, before ringing see if you can dig out any old payslips, your payroll number, and/or your PAYE reference number.”

There is no restriction on how far back you can claim, so if you think you may have been affected years ago you can still ring up.

If you had money deducted after the loan was fully repaid, HMRC should pay you back this money automatically, 

Readers of the blog have claimed back as much as £3,773 by using these methods.

One said: “Thank you so much. I knew something wasn’t right when I lodged my tax returns and reading Martin’s article was the catalyst for a sustained attempt to work out what had happened. I received £3,773 back.”

While another said the process only took 15 minutes.

They explained: “I spent 15 minutes on the phone and got £555 back for overpayments on my student loan.

“Most was because of my maternity leave. Thanks so much, couldn’t have come at a better time.”

How student loan plans work

If you wish to attend university you may take out a loan to help cover the costs.

The loan is paid directly to the university or college on your behalf.

Repayments start from the first April after you finish or leave your course.

You repay 9% of your income above the repayment threshold.

This means that the majority or basic-rate taxpayers lose 37p for every £1 they earn above the threshold – 20p as income tax, 8p as national insurance and 9p for a student loan.

Your repayment threshold will vary depending on when you studied at university.

Interest is charged on your loan from the day you receive the first payment until it is repaid in full.

The Pierce College cross-country course in Woodland Hills, used by thousands of runners since the 1960s, has been closed and will be unavailable to host the City Section finals and other high school meets this fall.

At a meeting last week attended by officials from the City Section and West Valley Eagles youth organization, Pierce College officials informed them that a new grass soccer field will be constructed in the area where races have previously started and which was also used as a warm-up area for runners.

Officials also told Jack Dawson of the Eagles and City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos they would revamp the whole course. They have already smoothed out path areas on the hilly course and fixed fencing.

A water truck and construction materials were seen in the area of the flat surface on Wednesday. Few people were made aware a soccer field would be built on a much beloved area used by runners. The school has a men’s and women’s soccer team. A school security officer said he was unaware of the plans, and he would be directly affected since security is hired weekly whenever a high school meet is held.

Dawson said, “The course is going to be beautiful. It’s, how are we going to use it?”

Either revisions have to be done on the soccer field or a new starting point for races has to be created.

Dawson and Lagos said they were informed that there would be no permits issued this year for the course. High schools that previously used the course are scrambling to find alternatives.

Monroe coach Leo Hernandez said his league is investigating using Woodley Park in the Sepulveda Basin as a possible replacement. Birmingham High once set up a course on its campus when Pierce College was unavailable because of heavy rains and could be used by the City Section for the finals.

Pierce College is also being used as a site to take in large animals during wildfires, so developing another course on campus this year is unlikely considering the uncertainty of the weather this fall.

Los Angeles public schools are opening Thursday for the new academic year confronting an intense and historically unique moment: They will be operating in opposition to the federal government’s immigration raids and have set in motion aggressive moves to protect children and their immigrant parents.

School police and officers from several municipal forces will patrol near some 100 schools, setting up “safe zones” in heavily Latino neighborhoods, with a special concentration at high schools where older Latino students are walking to campus. Bus routes are being changed to better serve areas with immigrant families so children can get to school with less exposure to immigration agents.

Community volunteers will join district staff and contractors to serve as scouts — alerting campuses of nearby enforcement actions so schools can be locked down as warranted and parents and others in the school community can be quickly notified via email and text.

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass spoke about “how profound this moment is in U.S. history” during a Monday news conference with local officials.

“Here you have an entire array of elected officials, appointed officials, education leaders, people committed to our children, and we are gathered here today to talk about protecting our children from the federal government,” Bass said.

L.A. schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho said recently that the nation’s second-largest school system will oppose “any entity, at any level, that seeks to interfere with the educational process of our children. We are standing on the right side of the Constitution, and years from now, I guarantee you, we will have stood on the right side of history. We know that.”

High school boy mistakenly handcuffed

The worries among school officials and parents are not without cause.

On Monday federal agents reportedly drew their guns on a 15-year-old boy and handcuffed him outside Arleta High School. The confrontation ended with de-escalation. Family members persuaded federal agents that the boy — who is disabled — was not the person they were looking for, Carvalho said.

The situation was largely resolved by the time the school principal realized what was going on and rushed out to assist. School police also arrived and scooped up unspent bullets dropped on the ground by the agents, Carvalho said.

A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Tuesday that Arleta High was not being targeted. Instead agents were conducting “a targeted operation” on a “criminal illegal alien,” they described as “a Salvadoran national and suspected MS-13 pledge with prior criminal convictions in the broader vicinity of Arleta.”

At a Tuesday White House briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, responded to a question that referenced the L.A. Times reporting about the incident.

“I’ll have to look into the veracity of that report,” Leavitt said. “I read the L.A. Times almost every single day, and they are notorious for misleading the public… This administration wants to ensure that all school children across the country, in every city, from Los Angeles to D.C., can go to school safely.”

LAUSD will oppose “any entity, at any level, that seeks to interfere with the educational process of our children,” said Supt. Alberto Carvalho recently.

(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)

School communities in fear

The incident outside Arleta High is among the ongoing confrontations across the region that have provoked public protests and prompted the Trump administration in June to deploy troops to Los Angeles. Enforcement actions have included masked agents arresting people at parking lots, in parks, on sidewalks and next to bus stops.

Litigation, including a temporary restraining order, appears to have slowed down local immigration raids, but federal officials have strongly affirmed that they have not stopped.

Trump administration policy is that no location — including a school — is off limits for enforcement actions in his drive to deport at least 1 million immigrants a year.

“People in our country illegally can self-deport the easy way, or they can get deported the hard way. And that’s not pleasant,” Trump said in a video posted to a White House social account.

“A big part of it is to create the sense of fear so people will self-deport,” said Jimmy Gomez, a Trump critic and Democratic member of Congress representing Los Angeles.

The ripple effect is that school communities are experiencing fear and trauma, worried that agents will descend on or near campuses.

Most in the state’s public school systems, including in L.A. Unified have embraced a counter mission, protecting the right of children — regardless of immigration status — to a public education. That right to an education is, so far, protected by past U.S. Supreme Court rulings.

For most school officials up and down the state, a necessary corollary to that right is safeguarding students’ guardians and close relatives.

On Tuesday, 30 school board members from L.A. County — which has 80 school districts — convened in Hawthorne to emphasize their own focus on protecting immigrant families.

“We’re about to welcome students back to schools, but we’re very concerned that these fears and anxieties may potentially have an impact for students not wanting to come back,” said Lynwood Unified school board member Alma Castro, an organizer of the event.

She called her district a “safe haven.” Among other measures, her district has trained staff to “restrict the sharing of any student files, any student information, and there’s been some work with thinking about our facilities to ensure that we have campuses that are closed off, that people can’t just walk in.”

L.A. Unified, along with other school districts, has embraced a mission to protect the right of children — regardless of immigration status — to a public education.

(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)

Protecting immigrant families

L.A. Unified, with about 400,000 students, has been layering on protections for months, recently working to incorporate ideas advocated by the teachers union and immigrant-rights groups.

A major ongoing effort is building safe-passage networks one, two and three blocks out from a campus. Participants include paid outside groups, district employees and volunteer activists. School police — though diminished in numbers due to staffing cuts — are to patrol sensitive areas and are on call to move quickly to where situations arise. Some anti-police activists want the protective mission accomplished without any role for school police.

A safe-passage presence has expanded from 40 schools last year to at least 100 this year, among about 1,000 campuses total, Carvalho said.

“It is virtually impossible, considering the size of our community, to ensure that we have one caring, compassionate individual in every street corner in every street,” Carvalho said. “But we are deploying resources at a level never before seen in our district.”

Other various efforts include:

• Starting a task force to coordinate safe passage zones with local cities
• Setting up a donor-supported compassion fund to help families with legal and other costs
• Coordinating food aid for families in hiding
• Providing legal referrals
• Contacting more than 10,000 families to encourage them to send children to schools
• Providing information about online schooling options
• Distributing a “family preparedness” guide

Carvalho and leaders of other school districts reiterated that K-12 campuses and anything related to schooling, such as a school bus or a graduation ceremony, will be off limits to immigration agents unless they have a valid judicial warrant for a specific individual — which has been rare.

“We do not know what the enrollment will be like,” Carvalho said. “We know many parents may have already left our community. They may have self-deported… We hope that through our communication efforts, our awareness efforts, information and the direct counseling with students and parents, that we’ll be able to provide stable attendance for kids in our community.”

Reason to be afraid

Mary, a Los Angeles mother of three without legal status, was terrified, but more or less knew what to do when immigration agents came to her door twice in May for a “wellness check” on her children: She did not let them in to her home. She did not step outside.

And, eventually, the agents — at least eight of them who arrived with at least three vehicles — left.

Mary had learned about what to do in this situation from her Los Angeles public school.

Mary, who requested that her full name not be used, has three children, one of whom attends an Alliance College-Ready charter school, a network of 26 privately operated public schools.

Like L.A. Unified, Alliance has trained staff on the legal rights of immigrants and also trained parents about how to handle encounters with immigration agents and where to go for help.

Alliance largely serves low-income, Latino communities and the immigration raids affected attendance in the school last year. Normally, attendance runs about 90% at the end of their school year. This June, average daily attendance at 14 Alliance high schools had dipped below 80%. Six fell below 70% and one dropped as low as 57.5%.

Alliance also attempted to gather deportation data. Nine families responded in a school network that enrolls about 13,000. In two cases, students were deported; three other students had family members deported; one student and a sibling were in a family that self-deported; one student was detained; two families reported facing deportation proceedings.

While these numbers are small, the reports are more than enough to heighten fear within the community. And some families may have declined to be candid about their circumstances.

“What’s happening now is that no one is safe anywhere, not even in your home, at work, outside, taking a stroll,” L.A. school board member Rocio Rivas said in an interview.

Still, Rivas is encouraging families to send children to school, which she considers safer than other places.

Alliance is focusing heavily on mental-health support and also arranging carpools to and from school — in which the driver is a U.S. citizen, said Omar Reyes, a superintendent of instruction at the Alliance charter group.

Carvalho, a onetime undocumented immigrant himself, said that students deserve a traditional and joyous first day followed by a school year without trauma.

Children, he said, “inherently deserve dignity, humanity, love, empathy, compassion and great education.

Times staff writer Andrea Castillo contributed to this report.

THE mother of a teenage boy murdered at school says his 15-year-old killer should be named when he is sentenced.

He was convicted last week of stabbing Harvey Willgoose, 15, through the heart in a courtyard during a lunch break.

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He cannot be identified due to an order imposed when he first appeared at court in February.

Media organisations asked Sheffield crown court judge Mrs Justice Ellenbogen to lift the ban in October but she said she wants to hear prosecution and defence views.

However news outlets were allowed to name the school involved as the city’s All Saints Catholic High School.

Yesterday, mum Caroline told BBC Breakfast: “Harvey hasn’t been here to speak up for himself and he’s been named. So, I think the defendant should as well.”

Harvey’s sister Sophie said of the killer: “He’s a 15-year-old boy. We’d like to think that he didn’t want to murder Harvey.

“He’s just from a troubled background and services have let him down.”

Heartbroken Caroline has revealed that Harvey’s final words to her before he left the family home to go to school on Monday were “I love you”.

She told the BBC: “I have got his grubby t-shirt on so I can smell him.

“I don’t want to go to sleep because I don’t want to wake up and have to relive it all and remember it.”

She described her son as “the life and soul of the party” and “a joy to be around”.

“He loved football, football was his life. He was going to be an actor at one point, I think he would have been good at it”, she told the news site.

Harvey’s father, Mark, said his son was his “best pal” and described him as a “loveable rogue”.

“We need to learn from this so no-one goes through what we have as a family,” he said.

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TRANS teachers can ask their pupils to call them Mx instead of Mr or Mrs, the Education Secretary has said.

Bridget Phillipson said they have the right to “make that request” of them.

She told LBC: “But of course, what we’ll be looking at is making sure that people are able to exercise their views on this topic too.

“This has been the subject of various legal cases as well about people’s rights in terms of how they approach questions of gender identity.”

The prefix Mx is used by some trans people as a gender-neutral way of saying Mr or Mrs.

Ms Phillipson has also been criticised for failing to publish long-awaited trans guidance for schools after more than a year in power.

She inherited draft guidance from the Tories that said that teachers should adopt a “cautious approach” to children wanting to socially transition by living like the opposite sex.

Ms Phillipson said she wanted to take time to review the policies — but has still not produced them 13 months into the job.

Yesterday she could not say when the guidance would finally be released, despite concerned parents asking for it.

Tory Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott said last night: “The guidance for schools on gender-questioning children is ready to go.

“It will give schools the clarity they need, end the confusion and help safeguard children.

“No more excuses from the Education Secretary, she just needs to get on with it.”

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The Jenna Ortega-fronted Netflix hit Wednesday returned with the first half of its hotly anticipated second series landing on the streaming platform on August 6, with the second half expected next month

Many Netflix fans all have the same complaint after tuning into the second instalment of the hit horror comedy series, Wednesday, which focuses on the character’s exploits at a private boarding school. The first season arrived in November 2022 and was a critical and commercial success, with many praising lead star Jenna Ortega.

The first half of the new season premiered on August 6, with the second half expected to hit the streaming platform on September 3. The show has already been renewed for a third season, much to fans’ delight.

But not all fans are impressed with the show’s set-up and many think it’s inherently flawed due to Wednesday being placed at Nevermore Academy with magical and mythical students, each boasting unusual or fantastical powers.

Wednesday doesn’t have any obvious supernatural abilities at first and much of her charm – and the Addams’ family’s as a whole – is their dark, gothic and macabre nature which contrasts their deep love for one another, all set against the backdrop of “normal” people in a “normal” world.

With Wednesday removed from a standard school setting, she isn’t the odd one out anymore. Her dark nature, her constant melancholy, and Jenna Ortega’s trademark lack of blinking, blends in seamlessly with students at Nevermore who each have their own darkness to contend with.

When murders started happening in the first season, Wednesday was keen to get to the bottom of the mystery. She soon discovered she has psychic abilities, with the power to experience visions of the past, present and future.

Again, in a typical school setting, this would set her apart from her “normal” peers as the gothic girl with unnerving, unnatural powers. At Nevermore, she’s one among many.

The show’s second season looks to be expanding on Wednesday’s world, with more focus on other members of the Addams family clan. This is something many fans can’t quite agree on.

In a Reddit post linking to a review titled “‘Wednesday’ Season 2 Review: Jenna Ortega Gets Lost Amid Addams Family Mayhem in Overcrowded Netflix Return,” fans were keen to share their thoughts.

One person said: “I.e. this series is more of a regular The Addams Family series compared to Season One’s wholly Wednesday-focused affair.”

Another said: “I would imagine a show called Wednesday would be fully focused on said character…. Lol.”

A third shared: “The second season still focuses on Wednesday. Just less than season 1.”

Someone else added: “Which is a good thing. Wednesday is great, but the reason why the movies worked so well is because of the family dynamic. Just following one family member all season is a mistake, and it appears the showrunner agreed.”

And another Netflix fan commented: “There’s also something to be said about the fact that they put Wednesday into a school where everybody is creepy and weird to some degree, which suddenly makes her not all that unique.

“The juxtaposition of the Addamses against normal people who find them off putting is a huge part of what makes the formula work but they took all that away.”

Someone else added: “I mean all I really want is more Addams Family.”

In Kabul’s narrow alleys and quiet courtyards, boys dressed in white caps and tunics diligently recite Quranic verses across an expanding network of madrassas – religious schools that increasingly bridge critical gaps in Afghanistan’s struggling education system.

Public schools continue to function, but their effectiveness has diminished due to resource constraints, insufficient teaching staff and the lingering effects of decades-long conflict. Consequently, families are increasingly turning to madrassas, which provide structured education grounded in Islamic teachings. The surge in enrolment is remarkable; one school north of Kabul has expanded from 35 to more than 160 students within just five years.

While most madrassas prioritise Quranic memorisation, Islamic jurisprudence, and Arabic language instruction, some have begun incorporating fundamental secular subjects such as mathematics and English. Nevertheless, many fail to meet national and international educational benchmarks, prompting concerns about their impact on students’ comprehensive development.

For girls, educational barriers are especially severe. With secondary education banned under Taliban rule, some girls attend madrassas as one of their few remaining pathways to learning, though opportunities remain restricted even within these institutions.

Critics argue that madrassas often serve as centres for religious indoctrination, and their growing prominence may significantly influence Afghanistan’s trajectory.

Yet for countless children across the country, these religious schools represent their only accessible form of education.

Human Rights Watch says US arms were used in ‘unlawful indiscriminate’ Israeli attacks that killed Palestinian civilians.

Israel has used US-made bombs in “unlawful attacks” on schools sheltering displaced civilians in Gaza, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said.

In a report released Thursday, HRW said Israel had carried out hundreds of strikes on schools since the start of its war on Gaza in October 2023, including “unlawfully indiscriminate attacks” using US munitions, which violated international law.

In its report, HRW investigated two incidents in 2024 in which it found that GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs supplied by the United States were used. One attack on the Khadija girls’ school in Deir el-Balah on July 27, 2024, killed at least 15 people, and another attack on the Zeitoun C school in Gaza City on September 21, 2024, left at least 34 dead.

Israeli authorities have not publicly shared information relating to the attacks. Israel has often said that its attacks on schools were targeting Hamas fighters. It has provided no evidence to indicate the presence of military targets at the sites of the attacks documented by the rights group.

In both attacks, HRW and that there was no evidence of a military presence at the schools on the days of the attacks.

The rights group also warned that recent Israeli attacks on schools sheltering displaced people were worsening the dire humanitarian situation in the territory.

HRW said that from July 1-10, 2025, Israeli forces struck at least 10 schools where displaced people were sheltering, killing 59 people and displacing dozens of families, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The group emphasised that schools used to house civilians remain protected under international law unless used for military purposes.

The rights group called for an immediate halt to arms transfers to Israel, warning of potential complicity by governments providing military support.

“These strikes on schools sheltering displaced families are just one window into the carnage in Gaza,” said Gerry Simpson, associate director at HRW. “Other governments should not tolerate this horrendous slaughter of Palestinian civilians merely seeking safety.”

It also urged states to uphold their obligations under international law, including the Genocide Convention.

“Governments supporting Israel militarily can’t say they didn’t know what their weapons are being used for,” said Simpson.

According to the United Nations, nearly 1 million displaced Palestinians have taken shelter in Gaza’s schools since October 2023.

HRW said the repeated targeting of civilian infrastructure, including shelters, hospitals and schools, showed a pattern of attacks that may amount to war crimes.

HRW noted that nearly all of Gaza’s 564 schools have sustained damage, with 92 percent requiring full reconstruction or major repairs.

The UN has reported that at least 836 people sheltering in schools have been killed.

A SIX-year-old boy died in his sleep after accidentally bumping his head while racing with friends at school, an inquest heard.

Mohammed Yaseen Uddin, who attended Marlborough Primary School in Small Heath, Birmingham, died on December 11 last year.

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He had been playing with pals during his lunch break the day before and accidentally bumped his head on a wall.

The youngster told a school receptionist: “I was running really fast, racing my friend and bumped into the wall.”

As reported by Birmingham Live, an inquest heard how Yaseen picked himself up and appeared to behave normally after the fall.

A paediatric school first aider applied an ice pack to a visible bump on the pupil’s forehead.

Yaseen’s mother and sister were given a letter with medical advice upon picking him up.

The inquest, held today at Birmingham Coroner’s Court, heard the youngster appeared to be acting normally after going home.

He had attended a local mosque after school and celebrated his sibling’s birthday with cake.

Later in the evening, Yaseen told his father he didn’t feel well, and he was given some Ibuprofen.

At around 11pm, the little boy complained about head pain “out of nowhere” and started to throw up.

His family were on their way to the hospital but took him back home to change after he vomited again.

The inquest heard they tried to leave again but Yaseen told them he just wanted to sleep, so they put him to bed.

Dad Simriel Uddin said he looked in on his son at 3am and again at 5am when he got up for work, both times Yaseen was asleep.

But the youngster was tragically found dead a few hours later.

Heartbroken dad Simriel Uddin previously told the Mail: “He was a bright, joyful spirit and he was a beautiful, kind-hearted little boy.

“He had a head collision in school -the school told my wife ‘Oh, your son has bumped his head.’

“When she asked if it was anything serious they said, ‘No it’s nothing serious, it’s just a bump’.”

The inquest heard how Yaseen’s brother Khalil performed CPR while waiting for an ambulance.

Paramedics rushed Yaseen to hospital at around 11am but the six-year-old was pronounced dead at 12.08pm.

Guirish Solanki, a consultant paediatric neurosurgeon, concluded Yaseen had suffered a “traumatic head injury when he struck his head on the wall.”

Yaseen’s cause of death was given as a traumatic right frontal extra-axial haemorrhage, which means a bleed outside of the brain but within the skull.

Louise Hunt, the Senior Coroner for Birmingham and Solihull said: “Yaseen was a six-year-old little boy who was normally fit and well.

“He was described as happy and engaged when he came to school, a big character, who was always bubbly.”

She confirmed Yaseen had been playing with his friends before falling at around 12.29pm.

The coroner was also satisfied the family had been given a letter outlining medical advice, despite the fact they previously disputed this.

She said: “This was a tragic accident and I record in conclusion this was an accident.

“I’d like to reiterate and offer my condolences to all the family. It must be very hard for all of you and I’m very sorry if today’s inquest has made things more difficult. I’m so very sorry for your loss.”

Speaking after the inquest, Yaseen’s sister Sumaya told BirminghamLive: “Thank you to everyone for their support.”

In a previous statement, Razia Ali, the executive headteacher at Marlborough, said: “Our school community has been left devastated by the tragic passing of one of our wonderful and much-loved pupils.

“Yaseen was an incredibly helpful, kind and caring pupil who brought a smile to the face of everyone who came across him.

“I know I speak for everyone when I say he will be deeply missed. All our thoughts and prayers are with Yaseen’s family and friends.”

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July 31 (UPI) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday alongside his professional athlete friends to bring back the Presidential Fitness Test in schools.

The executive order signing event hosted golfer Bryson DeChambeau, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, retired champion golfer Annika Sorenstam and Paul “Triple H” Levesque of World Wrestling Entertainment.

In Trump’s second term, the United States will host the 2025 Ryder Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.

DeChambeau will chair the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, the White House confirmed. He is a friend of Trump and has been seen on the campaign trail with him.

The order advises the council to create school-based programs that reward achievements in physical education. It will also reestablish the Presidential Fitness Test, first created in 1966 and was administered in public middle and high schools. The test was replaced in 2013 with the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, which touted living an active and healthy lifestyle.

Other sports issues in the president’s second term have been to demand the NFL’s Washington Commanders to change their name back to the Redskins and to issue an executive order banning transgender women in women’s sports.

Former President Barack Obama killed the test in 2012 and replaced it with an assessment called the FitnessGram focused on improving individual health.

“President Trump wants every young American to have the opportunity to emphasize healthy, active lifestyles — creating a culture of strength and excellence for years to come,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNN in a statement.

The difference in price between breaks during the summer holidays and those when most state kids have to be in school has long been a sore point for parents

British families face forking out £388 more per person if they don’t break school rules and head away during term times.

The difference in price between breaks during the summer holidays and those when most state kids have to be in school has long been a sore point for parents.

New research has revealed just how big the price hike facing families still planning a getaway during the school summer holidays this year is. The figures reveal that summer holiday package prices rise by an average of 15% when compared to term-time travel – equal to an extra £338 per person.

According to the study, a family of four will pay an additional £716 on average if they travel during a school half-term or holidays across the year, compared to travelling in term time. It also finds that this number rises even further during the six-week summer break, when travel costs increase the most.

Do you take your kids on holidays during term time to save money? Email us at [email protected]

READ MORE: Schools to give pupils extra WEEK off so ‘families can go on cheaper holidays’

Go.Compare analysed package holiday prices for popular European family destinations, uncovering the cost to parents who want to travel during school holidays. The comparison site found that prices increase by 9% per person overall during school holidays.

The average price for term-time packages to family-favourite destinations like Spain, Italy and France is as low as £290 per person. Meanwhile, the lowest average package price during school breaks sits at £384 per person – close to £100 more per person.

Trips to Spain saw the largest spike in costs, with holidaymakers charged 27% more per person – an increase of £496 – if they travel during the summer break. But across all the school holidays, Greece was the most expensive destination, with a median price of £2,329 per person.

Package price increases for the summer holidays

(Destination; Summer increase (%); Summer increase (£ pp))

• Spain; 27%; £496
• Italy; 7%; £152
• France; 3%; £57
• Greece; 24%; £646

Due to rules around unauthorised absences, the sharp rise in prices is particularly concerning for parents who would otherwise be faced with fines for removing children from school to travel. Without authorisation, a family of four could be fined up to £640, depending on the rules for their council.

READ MORE: Grandparents can bag £6,600 boost for looking after grandkids over summer holidaysREAD MORE: Full list of places where kids can eat free or for £1 during the summer holidays

Despite these risks, more than two out of five (44%) parents and guardians said they have, or would consider taking their children out of school for a family holiday. More than half (53%) of these parents said the biggest reason for this was to help save on travel costs.[3]

Rhys Jones, travel insurance expert for Go.Compare, said: “The cost difference between term time and school holidays is stark, particularly during the summer holidays. For many families, it’s a choice between affordability and avoiding a fine or even further action.

“Although travelling outside school holidays can seem tempting to save money, it’s important to factor in if the trip might impact your child’s education. You’ll also need to consider the full cost of a trip, including insurance, local travel, food and entertainment.

“Travel insurance, in particular, shouldn’t be overlooked. Prices for cover can vary significantly based on timing, destination and the size of your group. Comparing policies early ensures families can get the right protection without adding unnecessary costs.”

People have been left in stitches after American readers revealed what confused them in the Harry Potter books

Americans have revealed what confused them about the Harry Potter books, and it turns out lots of readers mistook British references for magical inventions. The “hilarious” mistakes were highlighted in a video shared by TikTok user @kelley_morgan.

Kelley Morgan told followers: “Here’s some things that I used to think were magic but it turns out they’re just British. It’s pretty common for like a ten or an eleven-year-old American, like, first time they’re learning about British culture, is through the Harry Potter books, so a lot of times they’ll think certain things that are normal for British people are like magical and like Harry Potter.”

She explained: “The first one is true for me, but also the one that people joke about the most, and it’s the one where they’re punting students. There’s a part in Harry Potter where there’s a swamp in the hallways, and then the janitor has to punt students across to get to their classes.

“In American English a punt is like a drop kick and because the world is like magical anyway we think oh he’s kicking students really hard across the swamp, but it turns out in British English punting is like a boat with a stick, like a marsh boat. So it turns out he was just boating them across, he was not kicking them.”

Kelley was also confused by British schools. “Another one is school houses. We don’t have those at all, and I know not everywhere in England has them but apparently a lot of schools do have different school houses and you actually get sorted into the houses and then you earn points for your house. It’s kind of weird to me. It sounds fun, but we don’t do that like at all.”

She added: “Along the same lines, prefects, which are like the authority figures within the houses is apparently a real thing. We don’t have that at all. I think the closest thing that we might have is a hall monitor, but nobody really likes the hall monitor kids. Also, hall monitor is not a common thing. I don’t think we ever had home monitors in my school, but it’s just something you see on TV. Next, the American content creator revealed she was confused to read about Christmas crackers.

“They always talk about having Christmas crackers and to us a cracker is a snack. I don’t even know what you call it like a cracker, like a chip, not your kind of chip. Then I just assumed fun presents and confetti and stuff fell out of the cracker because they have candy with toys in them in the book.

“So I’m like oh it must fall out of the cracker, but apparently it’s a really common thing like in a lot of European countries where you pull both ends of a thing and it pops.”

Finally, she turned her attention to pudding. “I thought they just really liked pudding cause they always say like oh I’m gonna go eat some pudding, like I can’t wait for pudding. They always have pudding after dinner cause over there pudding just means dessert and over here it’s a very specific dessert.”

The video received over 400,000 views and lots of comments from American readers who had a similar experience. Someone commented: “What’s most hilarious about the punting is not that it was a different word, but that we all collectively accepted that Filch drop kicked kids across a pond. No questions asked.”

A different response read: “I legitimately love pudding and was a little bit disappointed when I found out that it just means any dessert. I thought they were always having my favourite dessert!”

Another comment said: “I had the reverse issue — thinking things that were unique to Harry Potter were actually just normal British things. I thought for way too long that all British kids wrote with quills.”

THOUSANDS of households need to look out for supermarket vouchers landing on doormats worth up to £180.

The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation figures for June confirmed food prices have soared in the last 12 months.

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But there are ways to drive down the cost of your weekly shop, starting with help through the Household Support Fund (HSF).

The £742million fund has been shared between councils in England who then decide how to allocate their share.

Some are directing cash payments to residents in need while others are distributing supermarket vouchers to cover the summer holidays.

We’ve rounded up what some local authorities are offering below.

We won’t have covered all the councils offering help, so if your local authority isn’t included it’s worth checking with it to see what you are eligible for.

Most councils have pages on their websites dedicated to the Household Support Fund where you’ll find details on who is eligible and what you’re in line for.

You can find what local council area you fall under by visiting www.gov.uk/find-local-council.

That said, below are some of the councils offering qualifying households supermarket vouchers.

Bracknell Forest Council

Schools in Bracknell are automatically distributing supermarket vouchers to children registered for free school meals.

These vouchers have been paid for through Bracknell Forest Council’s allotment of the Household Support Fund.

The council has not confirmed how much the vouchers are worth.

Wakefield Metropolitan District Counci

Wakefield Metropolitan District Council is issuing supermarket vouchers worth £50 to families receiving council tax support.

The vouchers are being issued via letters on July 21 and take up to seven days to arrive.

Full instructions on how to redeem the vouchers will be included in the letters.

Once the voucher has been redeemed, it doesn’t have to be used all at once and can be used several times until it is spent.

Nottingham City Council

Nottingham City Council is distributing £75 supermarket vouchers to households each month until March 2026.

There is a limit on the number of vouchers being shared each month meaning you have to act fast to claim one.

Applications for this month’s vouchers opened on July 7 so may all have been allocated for July.

Nottingham City Council has said the dates applications for vouchers will open between August and next March will be confirmed “later in July”.

Ealing Council

Ealing Council is giving supermarket vouchers worth £90 to families with children on benefits-related free school meals this month.

The vouchers are worth £90 per child meaning you could get £180 if you have two kids.

You don’t need to apply for the vouchers as they are being sent automatically to emails or as letters.

The council’s partner, Blackhawk, is issuing a 16-digit personalised code and instructions on how to redeem the vouchers on the Blackhawk website – ealingcouncil.select-your-reward.co.uk.

Devon County Council

Devon County Council has issued supermarket vouchers worth more than £90 to 22,000 families with children on free school meals.

The £90 is equivalent to £15 per week for the six week school holiday.

The council has said the vouchers can be redeemed in major supermarkets but hasn’t said which ones.

Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council is issuing £50 supermarket vouchers to children on benefits-related free school meals.

You might also be eligible if your child is not on free school meals and you’re on a low income, and can apply for the vouchers from the end of the school term.

You can also forward your email address to the council and will be contacted when the application window opens.

More details can be found via www.portsmouth.gov.uk/services/benefits-and-money-advice/help-and-support/money-advice/household-support-fund.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council

Families on free school meals are eligible for supermarket food vouchers being distributed by schools in the area.

You do not need to apply as they are being issued automatically.

Food vouchers may also be available for children under five years if certain criteria is met.

To receive a voucher, children must be living in Bournemouth, Christchurch, or Poole and meet one of the following criteria:

• currently claiming 2 year old early education funding at an early years setting in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole during the term
• currently claiming Early Years Pupil Premium funding for 3 and 4 year olds at an early years setting in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole during the term (this is different to the early education funding available to all 3 and 4 year olds)
• currently have an open case with a social worker or Early Help family support worker and are of pre-school age

Food vouchers for this group of families have to be applied for, with more details on the BCP Council website.

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