Study finds smartphone bans in Dutch schools improved focus
Three-quarters of the 317 surveyed high schools reported that the ban has had a positive effect on students' concentration. Additionally, nearly two-thirds noted an improvement in the social climate within their schools, and one-third observed better academic performance among students.
"Less distraction, more attention to the lesson, and more social students. No more mobile phones in the classroom is having wonderful positive effects. It's great that schools are putting their shoulders to the wheel on this," State Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education Marielle Paul said.
The ban has been in place since January 1, 2024, and also applies to primary schools.
Typically, students only begin bringing phones to school in the final years of primary school and the survey, released late on Thursday, found the impact there was minimal.
Most schools allow exceptions for devices needed for medical support, such as hearing aids connected to a mobile device.
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The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
The 6 facts every woman should know about their body – and it could save your life
From puberty to menopause, and everything in between, women's bodies go through a lot. We might know the fundamentals – what a vagina is, what a vulva does and how babies are made – but with the help of dozens of medical experts, journalist Polly Vernon has created an encyclopaedic deep-dive into female biology, from the very basics to the weird and wonderful. The truth is, women have been set up to feel like strangers in their own bodies, thanks to a lack of scientific research. 'Women's bodies were excluded from US clinical trials between 1977 and 1993,' Polly explains. 'For years, we were treated as smaller, stranger versions of men.' The consequences of this oversight have sent ripples into the success of diagnoses and treatment. 'Take mammograms: if it were men's testicles, would they be squashed flat like that?' Polly asks. 'Or smear tests – surely there's a better option than a speculum?' But there are glimmers of change. A DIY cervical cancer test that only requires women to take a swab at home will finally be rolled out on the NHS from January, and for the first time, there are now more female than male doctors in the UK. 'We're nowhere near where we need to be, but things are moving forward,' Polly agrees. Her book, How The Female Body Works, is a call to action for all women to reclaim, understand and demand better when it comes to our bodies. Here's the stuff you may not know. Millions of women live life according to their menstrual cycle, study shows 7 THE PAIN GAME Period cramps, childbirth, endometriosis – we're no strangers to pain. 'I asked if it is feminist folklore that women endure more pain than men,' says Polly, about her interview with Professor Andrew Horne, director of the Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh. His answer? 'God, no, every part of your biological existence involves more pain.' But women put on a brave face. The annual Nurofen Gender Pain Index Report highlights that girls come to expect their pain will not be believed, and many disregard it for fear of wasting others' time. 'There are so many things we just put up with because we think we have to,' says Polly. 'We need to get better at going: 'I need this [pain relief], and I deserve it.' It is recognising what isn't acceptable and never believing, 'It's part of being a woman'.' If you have severe period pain, advocate for yourself. Your GP can help with medications or tests to find the cause. 7 BLAME THE HORMONES How many times have you blamed your mood on being 'hormonal'? And did you know which hormones, exactly, were to blame? There are more than 50 different kinds in the body, and men and women have the same hormones, just in greater or lesser quantities. Hormonal fluctuations impact your emotional state, but also performance, behaviour, daily activities and even injury risk. 'It can all seem a bit mystical, like it has us in its grip and there's nothing we can do about it,' says Polly. But there are definitely things you can do for better hormonal health. 'Get control of your sleep,' advises Polly. 'Make sure you go to bed at a regular time and don't eat or drink a lot directly before. Exercise, and think about nutrition and stress management. Get those in place first and then look at any medication you need.' See a GP if menopause, for example, is getting you down – they can discuss prescribing HRT. FEEL ON THE FIRST Have you ever been told that underwiring, deodorant and even black bras can lead to cancer? 'This is absolutely, categorically not true, just nonsense,' says Polly. But what is important when it comes to cancer is being aware of your own body and any changes. ''Feel it on the first' [of the month] is the best way to remember to check your breasts,' GP Dr Philippa Kaye says. Feel around your breasts, nipples, collarbone and into your armpits. 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The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
One-stop family hubs to be opened in all English council areas
One-stop shop family hubs will be rolled out across England to give parents advice and support, the government has announced. The centres will offer help with breastfeeding and housing issues, as well as supporting children's early development and language, ministers said. The £500m project will open 1,000 centres from April 2026, meaning every council in England will have a family hub by 2028. It will build on the existing family hubs and start for life programme to provide a single point of access for services in health, education and wellbeing. Parents will also be able to register births, access midwifery and maternity services, and get help to stop smoking. There will also be activities for children under five and youth service provision. The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said the hubs would provide a 'lifeline of consistent support across the nation, ensuring health, social care and education work in unison to ensure all children get the very best start in life'. The policy forms part of the government's push to replace services lost since 2010, which include the closure of more than 1,400 Sure Start centres. Research showed that children who lived near a Sure Start centre for their first five years were more likely to get five good GCSE grades at age 16. Family hubs were originally opened in 75 local authority areas at the start of 2024 by the then Conservative government. The announcement by the Department for Education comes ahead of the government unveiling its strategy on child development on Monday. The Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life plan will lay out how ministers hope to improve the development of children under five, and give support to parents and wider families. Phillipson said: 'It's the driving mission of this government to break the link between a child's background and what they go on to achieve – our new Best Start Family Hubs will put the first building blocks of better life chances in place for more children. 'I saw firsthand how initiatives like Sure Start helped level the playing field in my own community, transforming the lives of children by putting in place family support in the earliest years of life, and as part of our Plan for Change, we're building on its legacy for the next generation of children. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'Making sure hard-working parents are able to benefit from more early help is a promise made, and promise kept – delivering a lifeline of consistent support across the nation, ensuring health, social care and education work in unison to ensure all children get the very best start in life.' Anna Feuchtwang, chief executive of the National Children's Bureau: 'The prime minister's plan for change sets out his ambition to improve outcomes in early childhood. Now the government has put its money where its mouth is and committed to rolling out Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority. 'With indications of a funding boost for babies and young children already included in the 10-year health plan, I am delighted to see children and families being given clear priority in government spending decisions.' Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott criticised the announcement, and said it 'brings little clarity on what's genuinely new and what simply rebrands existing services'. She added: 'That lack of clarity is part of a wider pattern. This is a government defined by broken promises and endless U-turns.'
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
I tried ‘dangerous' Buzzballz cocktails loved by Gen Z – just a couple would leave me on the floor
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