Latest news with #NEU
Tom's Guide
6 days ago
- Tom's Guide
With one prompt, I built an entire brand kit in an hour using Lovart
Many tools promise to unleash your creativity but then force you to wrestle with layers, templates and settings. As you drag things pixel by pixel and juggle Canva, Figma, Midjourney and ChatGPT you end up praying that your vision will survive the process. If you've ever tried to build a brand kit from scratch — the logo, the social banners, the promo video, the product page — you'll know how brutal things get without a designer. All too often you end up bouncing between five different apps and five YouTube tabs just to make something halfway usable. There has to be a better way. And I think I've found it. When I came across Lovart — an AI that claimed it could generate over 40 branded assets from a single prompt — I gave it the most honest test possible. No prep. No fancy prompts. No design background. Just a raw idea. The result? In less than one hour I had a complete brand kit — logo, landing page, product visuals, and a full-motion video — all export-ready and shockingly good. Lovart describes itself as an "AI Design Agent," not just a tool. You don't have to "create" everything — Lovart reads your idea and makes creative decisions on your behalf. Let me show you how it works. Here's what I typed: "A minimalist skincare brand inspired by ocean minerals, called NEU." Seconds later, I got: No file juggling. No bouncing between tools. Everything simply showed up in the same interface, fully editable and export-ready. The quality genuinely surprised me. This wasn't "AI slop". It looked like something a junior designer might produce after a few days of work. It was clean, professional, and actually usable. Here's what makes Lovart different from other AI design tools: it's not running one model. It coordinates multiple specialized AI systems and gets them to work together. Under the hood, it's using: The magic is in the orchestration. Each model contributes to a unified result that feels brand-consistent and intentional — not like random assets stitched together. You can edit anything: shorten the video, tweak fonts, change product names, adjust the colors. It's a truly plug-and-play design, but it delivers the polish you'd expect from paying an agency. What stood out most wasn't just the speed. It was how consistent Lovart felt across multiple tries. I tested it with lots of different brand concepts: a coffee shop, a tech startup, a fitness app. Every single time it delivered coherent, on-brand results without me having to babysit the process or write perfect prompts. It doesn't get tired. It doesn't get confused. It doesn't over-design or under-deliver. It just gets on with the job. It listens, executes, and adjusts — again and again and again, until it gets it right. It felt less like using software and more like working with someone who's patient, fast, and never runs out of ideas. As a creator, that felt safe – and honestly, kind of luxurious. Elena Rodriguez, Lovart's co-founder and COO, says that this human-like presence is intentional: I've used Canva, struggled with Figma, and spent hours wrestling with Photoshop. And Lovart required none of that background knowledge. The interface is refreshingly simple: there's a big text box where you describe your idea, and an infinite canvas where results appear. You can refine anything by typing natural language requests like "make the logo more playful" or "create a darker color palette." There are no layers to manage. No export settings to figure out. No subscription limits across different tools. Just tell Lovart what you want, and watch it materialize. For context, building the same brand kit manually would have taken me: That's a total of 8+ hours, plus frustration. With Lovart: 45 minutes, plus excitement about what else it could do. Lovart won't replace human designers at big agencies. But for creators, marketers, small business owners, and indie builders it's genuinely game-changing. Who this works best for: What you get with one subscription: Access to multiple premium AI models that would normally require separate subscriptions, plus the coordination layer that makes them work together. It's like hiring a creative team that actually listens and never misses a deadline. Lovart isn't magic. Here's what I noticed: If Canva is a toolkit, Lovart is a collaborator. If Midjourney is inspiration, Lovart is execution. For the first time, you can go from "I have an idea" to "it's ready to publish" without getting lost in the tools, tutorials, or technical complexity. Is it perfect? No. Is it useful enough to pay for? Absolutely. Especially if you value your time and sanity more than learning design software. Pricing: Lovart starts at $29/month for individual creators, with team plans available. Given that you'd normally pay that much just for Canva Pro, and this includes access to multiple premium AI models plus coordination, it's reasonable value. Try it yourself: Lovart is now publicly available at
Daily Mirror
17-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Number of kids registered for free childcare soars - as more parents to benefit
Some 457,000 children aged nine months to two years were registered for a childcare place thanks to the expansion of 15 hours free childcare in September last year Around half a million more children under five were registered for a funded childcare place in the last year compared to the 12 months before. A record 1.7 million children under five were registered – a 33% increase - following a major expansion of free provision. Some 457,000 children aged nine months to two years registered for a place thanks to the expansion of 15 hours free childcare in September. Previously only three and four-year-olds were eligible. Data also shows 18,200 more staff members were delivering free childcare this January, compared to the same time this year. The total rose to 272,500 after a 7.2% increase - the largest annual rise since the data series began. From September, all eligible families with children aged nine months to three years will be able to access 30 hours a week. These hours can be used over 38 weeks of the year during school term time, or up to 52 weeks if fewer hours are used each week. Parents who want to get 30 hours from this September must apply by August 31. A couple's combined annual salary must be less than £100,000 for them to be eligible. Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'It is extremely positive that more families now have the choice of accessing funded early education and childcare and are benefitting from this.' But he added: "We know from a school and provider perspective, funding levels remain incredibly tight, and we urge government to keep this under constant review. When it comes to early education, quality matters." The National Education Union (NEU) urged for more support to be given to Maintained Nursery Schools, which it said provide high quality early education especially for disadvantaged families and children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND). Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, said: "Given that high quality early education and care is essential to improving children's life chances, it is not a surprise that demand for funded hours are now at record levels since entitlements were expanded. "The government should be building up high quality public provision with Maintained Nursery Schools (MNS) front and centre. MNS provide the highest quality of early education, especially for disadvantaged families and children with SEND. Funding pressures make their future uncertain. The government must act now to protect and expand MNS and consider how they can support the delivery of funded hours." Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'It is brilliant to see our reforms to early education delivering for so many families, with tens of thousands more funded places and staff compared with stagnating numbers just last year, and more parents than ever accessing government funded childcare. 'We are setting up even more parents to benefit from September's expansion to 30 funded hours, saving them up to £7,500 per year, alongside our investment in free breakfast clubs and school based nurseries to give parents more choice and slash costs.'
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Teachers in Wokingham strike over pay cuts and more workload
Teachers at a Berkshire school have gone on strike in response to proposed changes to the Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) from Maiden Erlegh School in Wokingham said the planned changes would result in "significant pay cuts" and "unsustainable increases to their workload".The strike follows months of frustration amongst staff after the Maiden Erlegh Trust launched a consultation process to restructure TLRs across the trust said the restructure is based on a model developed by an external consultancy and didn't wish to comment further. History teacher and NEU school rep, Tom Stewart said: "This proposal undervalues the expertise and dedication of teachers who have gone above and beyond, especially during recent challenging years and excellent feedback from Ofsted." However, staff said the proposed changes would see many teachers stand to lose key responsibilities and corresponding pay, while being expected to take on additional teacher and NEU school rep, Tracey Noden-Hooper said: "Instead of recognising their efforts, the Trust is proposing cuts that would leave some teachers thousands of pounds worse off while increasing their workload.""This strike is a last resort," Rachel Teale, Geography teacher and NEU school rep said "our members do not want to disrupt students' education, but they will not stand by while their pay and working conditions are worsened. "Under a model that involves removing TLR roles while leaving the responsibilities largely in place, meaning those tasks will simply be pushed onto other colleagues, increasing pressure across the board."The National Education Union (NEU) is calling on the Trust to cancel the restructure and enter meaningful negotiations with union representatives. It said teachers want a fair and equitable system that recognises their contribution and ensures high standards of teaching without jeopardising staff wellbeing. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Government told to fully fund teacher pay rise to prevent school provision cuts
The Government must fully fund the pay rise for teachers in England to prevent cuts to pupil support, activities and staffing, unions have urged. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has been warned that investment in improving school staff's pay and conditions is 'vital' to tackling the teacher recruitment and retention crisis. In May, the Government accepted the recommendations of the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) to boost the salaries of teachers and school leaders in England by 4% from September. Ms Phillipson said schools would receive an additional £615 million of funding this financial year to help cover most of the costs of increased pay awards. But she said schools would have to find around 1% of the pay awards themselves 'through improved productivity and smarter spending'. In a joint response to Ms Phillipson, four education unions have set out their 'united view' on the need for the Government to provide additional investment to fully fund the pay increase for the next academic year. The National Education Union (NEU), the NAHT school leaders' union, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and Community said: 'Investing in the improvements needed to teacher and school leader pay and conditions is vital to tackling the recruitment and retention crisis. 'In the interests not only of teachers and school leaders but of parents, pupils and the wider economy, we need a major pay correction to reverse the real terms pay cuts and repair the competitiveness of pay.' Paul Whiteman, general secretary at NAHT, said financial pressures on schools mean that finding the money for a pay uplift for school leaders and teachers 'is becoming more difficult.' He said: 'Any so-called easy savings have long since been achieved after years of under-investment under previous governments, so the Government must avoid creating a false trade-off between professionals' pay and reductions in support for pupils, curriculum resources and activities. 'Ensuring schools have the dedicated teachers and leaders they need requires sustained Government investment to properly fund further above-inflation pay rises – as well as action to tackle intolerable levels of workload, support flexible working, and implement more far-reaching reform of damaging high-stakes Ofsted inspections.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the ASCL, said: 'We urge the Government to provide the funding in full that is needed to cover the cost of the 2025-26 pay award, as the partial funding provided leaves many schools having to make cuts to bridge this shortfall. 'This means reductions in staffing, which has a knock-on effect on the workloads of remaining staff, which in turn affects retention. 'It is a vicious cycle which we must break. This can only be done by ensuring that pay awards are both sufficient and fully funded.' In April, both teaching unions – the NEU and the NASUWT – threatened to take strike action if schools did not get extra funding to pay for salary increases for teachers. It came after the Department for Education (DfE) previously suggested in its written evidence to the STRB in December that a 2.8% pay rise for teachers in 2025/26 would be 'appropriate'. In May, the NEU, the largest education union in the UK, threatened to 'register a dispute' with the Government unless it fully funded the pay rise for teachers. Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, said: 'The Government must respond to the clear evidence and the united voice of the profession. 'To protect our education service and tackle the recruitment and retention crisis, the Government must put in the investment needed to properly value teachers and school leaders.' Helen Osgood, director of operations at Community, said: 'The Government has shown that it is on the side of teachers by supporting the STRB's recommendation of a 4% pay increase from this September. 'Ministers now need to back this up by ensuring that appropriate funding is provided to support the increase. 'This is the only way we can ensure that teacher pay keeps pace against inflation, and that the profession remains competitive within the labour market.'
Telegraph
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Schools lose 600 teaching days a year as local strikes escalate
Strikes by the UK's largest education union cost schools almost 600 teaching days last year as local disputes multiplied. The National Education Union's (NEU) 593 days of local walkouts in 2024 represented a seven-fold jump over the past five years. The most recent national strike action among teachers was in 2023 in the midst of a major clash with the Government over pay, but unions frequently stage walkouts on a local level. Strikes often happen in various different schools on the same day due to differing local disputes. Telegraph analysis of NEU annual accounts show the union's local strike activity has soared over the past few years. The organisation held 38 successful ballots among members in 2018/19 as a result of various disputes over teaching conditions, resulting in 80 days of lost learning for pupils that year. This dropped to 48 days of walkouts in 2019/20 but has rocketed every year since then, with 132 days of local walkouts the following year, 155 in 2021/22 and 184 in 2022/23. 'Worst recruitment and retention crisis' Daniel Kebede, the NEU's general secretary, told The Telegraph that worsening teaching conditions had prompted the significant rise in local walkouts. 'Teachers want to be in the classroom not the picket line but the notable increase in disputes across the country is a clear indication of problems facing the education workforce,' he said. 'Problems exacerbated by a lack of funding, an unmanageable workload, issues around pay and, in the independent sector, pensions. All of which are leading to the worst teacher recruitment and retention crisis in a generation.' The union faced protests this week after parents at one group of academies in south London were given just four days' notice of teacher strikes. Hundreds of staff at the Charter Schools Trust are due to walk out this week in a dispute over maternity pay, with further strike dates set for July 15, 16, and 17. The Trust has already agreed to three of four of the NEU's demands for teachers at the group of nine schools, which have more than 4,500 pupils aged from four to 18. It is understood to have agreed to decouple pay rises from performance, form a staff group for workload and well-being issues, and recognise teachers' union membership. But the Trust told the NEU it could not afford a demand for higher maternity pay, which could amount to as much as £4,863 extra for the highest-paid teachers. Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign for Real Education (CRE), told The Telegraph the strike action was 'damaging, selfish and grossly unfair on pupils'. In a letter to parents, Alison Harbottle, the head teacher of The Charter School East Dulwich, said the strikes were 'deeply regrettable', adding: 'I am extremely sorry for the disruption caused to your child's education.' Clash over Jamaican staff NEU members at a separate academy in south London also walked out on Tuesday, with the union claiming that Jamaican staff were 'targeted' by their bosses and underpaid thousands of pounds. Staff at Harris Beckenham said they were launching two days of strike action over complaints they are being 'severely overworked to the point of exhaustion', and have been forced to deal with an unacceptable management style. The Harris Federation, one of the UK's largest academy chains, previously came under fire after being accused of paying Jamaican teachers less than their British colleagues. A spokesman for the Harris Federation said they 'wholly refute any allegations of racism', and insisted that Jamaican teachers' pay and conditions 'are exactly the same as others in the same position'. A 2023 report by the Office for National Statistics found the education sector had one of the highest number of working days of any industry lost due to strike activity. During that year, millions of pupils were disrupted by nationwide teaching strikes, including eight days of walkouts by NEU members in England. Tensions cooled last year after the Government handed out above-inflation pay offers to the public sector, meaning teachers received fully-funded rises of 5.5 per cent last year. Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, announced in May the sector will receive a further 4 per cent pay rise next year, although this is only partially funded. Mr Kebede promised to lodge a formal dispute with the Government unless ministers promise to fully fund the latest pay offer, warning that it would lead to 'cuts… job losses, and additional workloads' in many schools. The NEU has over 450,000 members, making it the largest education union in the UK and Europe. Local strike action by other teaching unions is far lower, Telegraph analysis shows, although numbers appear to be rising. The NASUWT teaching union, which has 300,000 members, launched 269 days of walkouts in 2022/23, up from just 25 the year before and 60 in 2018/19.
