flamingos

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson sees the provision of free breakfast clubs in all primary schools as vital to breaking what she calls the “unfair link between background and success” in education. Numerous academic studies show that a good breakfast improves attendance and pupil performance.

But with the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, considering further spending cuts for major departments, concerns are growing among headteachers, unions and charities that the plans will not be properly funded and will lack the flexibility required to be successful.

This weekend, the independent publication Schools Week highlighted how some headteachers in primaries, while enthusiastic about the overall aims, were refusing to take part in an “early adopter” pilot scheme for 750 volunteer schools because only 60p was being provided by the government per pupil.
[…]
Guidance sent to schools taking part in the pilots say they will receive a £500 set-up payment to cover equipment and materials as well as £1,099 for “start-up staffing costs” to cover the summer term. A payment will then be made in arrears, based on the number of pupils taking part.

Lindsey MacDonald, CEO of the charity Magic Breakfast, which has more than 20 years of experience in the field and provides breakfasts to more than 300,000 children and young people every day, said ministers must allow schools to offer a variety of ways to feed pupils, rather than just in formal “breakfast clubs” set up in one hall or building, before the normal school day. This is by far the most expensive model as it requires extra staff to be employed out of normal hours, and does not maximise the chances of all pupils being fed.

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, was on Saturday night seeking to convene an emergency meeting of European leaders, including the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, as concerns grew over Donald Trump’s attempts to seize control of the Ukraine peace process.
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The meeting, likely to be held on Monday, is expected to discuss US efforts to exclude European leaders from the peace talks, the position Europe should adopt on Ukraine’s future membership of Nato and how Ukraine can be offered security guarantees, either through Nato or some European force.

Downing Street confirmed on Saturday it had heard about the proposed meeting and officials made clear that Starmer would attend and take messages from the meeting to Washington this week, when he will meet President Trump. UK sources said they believed those invited to Paris by Macron would be the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, and the leaders of Germany, Italy, the UK and Poland.

Starmer said: “This is a once-in-a-generation moment for our national security where we engage with the reality of the world today and the threat we face from Russia. It’s clear Europe must take a greater role in Nato as we work with the United States to secure Ukraine’s future and face down the threat we face from Russia. The UK will work to ensure we keep the US and Europe together. We cannot allow any divisions in the alliance to distract from the external enemies we face.”

Macron’s speed in trying to unite European leaders behind a joint response shows the extent of anxiety in Europe about US efforts both to control the process and exclude European governments from any detailed negotiations between the US and Russia.

The prospect of Starmer’s involvement also highlights how the UK prime minister is becoming drawn into a European response, despite the UK having left the EU. With European leaders expected to convene in Paris, it is anticipated that Russian and US officials will meet in Saudi Arabia this week to map out what they intend to be the peace process.

Toot

cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/24217964

Skeet

Skeet

Police bodycam footage shows the moment officers used a capybara costume to carry out a drug raid in Peru's capital Lima.

The Escuadron Verde (Green Squad) police group is a specialised unit of the Peruvian National Police who often disguise their agents in fancy dress during festivities such as Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas.

The head of the unit, Col Pedro Rojas, has said: "On this occasion, Valentine's Day, lover's day, we sought to camouflage ourselves with the character of the capybara."

Peruvian police have previously dressed their officers up as Marvel characters Spiderman, Captain America, Thor and Black Widow to carry out a drug raid.