Worrying trend emerges among Year 7 pupils
The research, tracking over 100,000 pupils in England, found lower levels of enjoyment, trust, agency, and safety reported by Year 7 pupils, especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Girls' feelings of safety decline more steeply than boys' between Year 7 and Year 9.
A strong correlation exists between engagement levels and attendance, with higher engagement linked to lower absenteeism.
The study emphasises the need for interventions and support services to address disengagement and ensure a positive learning environment for all pupils during the transition to secondary school.
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The Independent
20 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why I, as a straight woman, will be marching at Trans+ Pride
I'm not a marcher at heart. I tend to panic in crowds or really anywhere without a good mobile signal if I'm not on horseback. I don't attend parades because they're usually too hot. In short, I'm like a rather pathetic indoor plant. Nonetheless, I will be donning tabard and face mask to steward the accessibility block of London Trans+ Pride: the 'plus' is to include anyone's identity; the mask protects the disabled marchers who lead the march. I'll be there with the many other non-trans people who have attended excruciatingly comprehensive training sessions on Zoom, all wanting to show support for a community who have been made Villain of the Week by a tiny yet overexposed force desperate to stamp on someone more vulnerable than themselves. Certainly, this was why my friend Sara and I first volunteered last year; neither particularly keen joiner-inners, both requiring continuous applications of SPF50 to safely set foot outdoors in July, but rendered so cross by what was being said about trans people in our name that we did what generations have done and channelled our Inner Aunt. Certainly not in The Handmaid's Tale sense, and perhaps slightly less in the formidable Wodehosian, but in allyship; caring about people who aren't your children, and fulsomely advocating for them. I had no idea what on earth to wear to a march, or who would be there, so I wore a wonderfully pedantic T-shirt made by my friend Helen Zaltzman for her language podcast The Allusionist, highlighting that the singular use of 'they' has been in use since 1375. In the lack of a protest sunhat, I wore a cap I'd won in a competition by the, erm, Equestrian Noticeboard. Shortly after I arrived, another steward said hello. It turned out that they worked for a very popular horsey brand and had been volunteering at Trans+ Pride marches since their child came out. Offering support to this march as a straight cisgender person matters (sorry if you dislike that term – please blame academic science). The unfolding campaign against trans people is a ringingly clear repetition of Britain's appalling treatment of gay men through the 80s and 90s. The highest-profile curb on trans rights came in April, when the Supreme Court ruled the legal definition of a woman is someone born biologically female. The focus on trans women – never trans men – narrows the idea of 'What is a woman?' to one that affects anyone who doesn't fit stereotyped femininity. When I was a contestant on Only Connect in 2022, someone tweeted that they were 'supporting the trans team', presumably because I am a very tall Second Alto with my dad's jawline. I took this as both a compliment and further proof that anyone who says 'You can just tell ' where appearance is concerned is unrelentingly stupid. The trans people I know are objectively more attractive than I am, for one. The 'gender critical' crowd's nonsensical rubbishing of anyone who seems different impacts us all – not just in terms of how we are perceived, but in taking us backwards. It is rolling back our humanity. The most moving signs I saw at last year's Trans+ Pride were those held by parents, warmly offering free hugs to people whose own parents didn't accept them. It reminded me of last month's exhibition of the UK Aids Memorial Quilt at the Tate Modern and everything I have learned about the Aids epidemic when families shunned their children or banished their partners. Being 'critical' of someone's right to exist is perilously close to fascism. The United States has shown where such anti-freedom legislation can lead in the shortest time. Rolling back on trans rights is a dangerous path – and one that entirely distracts from the real issue. No man, God bless them, needs to spend years transitioning in order to attack women. Anyone with that cruelty in mind can do so by simply walking through their front door. It is important for us to stand up now, however much we feel it doesn't affect us, because, truly, it does. In the years since Section 28 was ended, I've seen relatives' views on gay people evolve from 'He must be terribly sad' to greater understanding. It hasn't 'made' any of my straight relatives gay. My own understanding has evolved, too, because a side effect of Section 28 was breeding ignorance – and that despite the work Channel 4 did to quietly educate British kids through late-night documentary strands and Eurotrash. New rules suppressing trans discussion in schools, brought in by this Labour government, won't stop young people questioning their identity. 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It continues to be the most British of values – and the right thing to do.
BBC News
21 minutes ago
- BBC News
Landlines to be reconnected after Llangeler tractor fire
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Cosy cooking: six fragrant, flavourful braises and stews
Patience is its own reward when it comes to slow cooking. The smells are tantalising and the rich flavours make for great leftovers. What better way to spend a winter day? (Pictured above) From marinating the beef to creating a spice bag with a muslin cloth, each step of this hearty Vietnamese classic adds another layer of flavour. As the beef, aromatics and liquids simmer away, the richness of the bò kho comes to life. Serve it with either a crispy baguette or fresh egg noodles. Pham recommends adding extra beef stock if you opt for the latter, to make it a more 'slurpable experience'. This traditional and homely dish from Romania sings with 'sweet-tangy notes', says Georgescu. Two whole leeks (including the dark green parts) are cooked down with coriander seeds for 15-25 minutes. These are then combined with white wine, vegetable stock and chopped tomatoes. At the end, she stirs through lemon juice and olives. Georgescu serves hers with bread, burghul wheat or rice. This one pan dish is a weeknight staple in Hayden's household, with a stamp of approval from both adults and little ones. Not only a confirmed 'lipsmacker', it's also ridiculously simple, with a base that's made up of pantry staples – black beans and chopped tomatoes. After frying all the ingredients, they bubble down together in the oven, so ensure your pan is oven safe. Hayden serves it with tortillas, sour cream and lime-y avocado, but she says 'anything goes'. These 'pickled potatoes' are salt and vinegar chips without the packet. Although they're not actually pickled, they are cooked in a way that mimics the taste thanks to a mixture of lemon juice and cumin, turmeric and curry leaves. Place them on a bed of yoghurt rice and with some salty Indian gooseberry pickles if on hand – they're Sodha's favourite accompaniment for this dish. A winter staple, the carrot is utilised to its full glory in this one-tray bake. 'You're getting two ingredients for the price of one,' says Hunt, who uses the leafy tops to create a tangy chermoula (a herby, oily North African sauce) to accompany the stew. The body of the carrot is separated and baked with a variety of Moroccan spices until 'hot and bubbling'. Serve straight from the tray, with couscous and yoghurt on the side. Slow and steady wins the race in this 'uniquely Bahraini' dish, which takes at least four hours to prepare. Murad says 'all the good stuff happens' at the bottom of the pot. That good stuff includes juicy and tender chicken blanketed by spicy potatoes, onion, tomato and saffron-infused rice. The final act? When fully cooked through and settled, put a platter on top of the pan and invert the rice mixture on to it.
