Read our latest posts on AI education tools, independent study skills, and how technology supports children’s learning. Learn how Walnut Learning Assistant helps families combine human guidance with the best of modern AI support.
Latest Articles
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Instagram to Alert Parents About Self-Harm Searches: What It Means for Families
Meta has announced that parents using Instagram’s supervision tools will soon receive alerts if their teen repeatedly searches for suicide or self-harm related content on Instagram. The feature will begin…
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Why More Families Are Choosing Home Education
Parents choose home education for a wide range of reasons: Former teacher Deb Hadden says many children need more support socially and emotionally than schools have capacity to provide. After…
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Phones in Schools: Why the Debate Matters for Parents
If it feels like you can’t open a newspaper without seeing another headline about phones in schools, you’re not imagining it. Over the past year, the conversation has intensified —…
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Why MPs Are Calling for More SEND Funding – And What It Means for Parents
Families across England know that getting the right support for a child with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) can feel like an uphill battle. This week, that reality was…
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Rising suspensions, new government guidance – and the challenge schools still face
Suspensions in England’s schools are rising at pace, and the government is now signalling a clear shift in how they should be handled. New figures from the Department for Education…
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Social Media Ban for Under-16s: What UK Parents Need to Know
The UK government has launched a consultation on whether children under 16 should be banned from social media. The proposal is part of a wider package aimed at protecting young…
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GCSE Results Go Digital: What Parents Need to Know This Summer
From summer 2026, GCSE results in England will take a major step into the digital age. For the first time, students will be able to view their exam results directly…
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Why Do We Stop Singing When We Reach Secondary School?
If you’ve ever stood proudly at the back of a primary school hall during a nativity or carol concert, you’ll know how naturally singing seems to belong in early school…
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Essay Cheating at University: An Open Secret Parents Shouldn’t Ignore
Recent reporting has reignited a long-standing concern in higher education: essay cheating at university is still widespread, despite laws designed to stop it. For parents supporting teenagers on the path…
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The UK Is Rejoining Erasmus in 2027: What Parents Need to Know
In December, the government confirmed that the UK will rejoin the Erasmus+ student exchange programme from 2027, marking a significant shift in post-Brexit education policy. For parents of secondary school…
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How Parents Can Talk to Schools About AI (Without Feeling Out of Their Depth)
Artificial intelligence is becoming part of everyday school life – sometimes quietly, sometimes controversially. From automated marking to AI-supported lesson planning, and even virtual or remote teaching, parents are increasingly…
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£3bn for More SEND School Places: What This Could Mean for Families
For many parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), finding the right school support can feel like an exhausting uphill battle. This week, the government announced a…
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AI Has Entered the Classroom – But Is It Really the Answer for Overworked Teachers?
Artificial intelligence is no longer something happening somewhere else. It’s already in UK classrooms – marking work, planning lessons, translating communications, and in some cases, even delivering lessons remotely. For…
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Hundreds of New Youth Centres Planned: What This Means for Today’s ‘Isolated’ Generation
For many parents, it’s no surprise to hear that today’s young people feel both hyper-connected and deeply isolated. With social spaces shrinking and screens filling the gap, families have been…
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What the New 50,000 Apprenticeships Mean for Young People — and Parents
The government has announced a major expansion of youth apprenticeships, promising 50,000 new places over the next three years. With youth unemployment rising and nearly one million 16–24-year-olds currently not…
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Why Teaching Children About Personal Finance Matters More Than Ever
For many adults, learning how to budget, manage money or navigate loans came far too late — often only after making costly mistakes. But a new national curriculum change aims…
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Helping Your Child Build AI Literacy: A Parent’s Guide to the Future of Learning
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer science fiction—it’s part of everyday life. From the voice that helps your child spell a word (“Hey Siri, how do you spell elephant?”) to…
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The Primary School Achieving Near-Perfect Attendance — And What Other Schools Can Learn From It
Across Wales, schools continue to battle lower attendance rates in the years following the pandemic. But one Welsh-medium primary is bucking the trend — and showing that a nurturing, community-centred…
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How One School Is Replacing Fines With Support — And What It Teaches Us About Attendance
Across the UK, school attendance has become a growing concern for teachers and parents alike. But one north London primary school is taking an approach that feels far more human…
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Rethinking the Classroom: How Adaptive Learning Spaces Can Support Every Child
Creating a classroom where every child feels safe, confident and ready to learn is something all parents hope for. While traditional classrooms often look the same from school to school—rows…
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Ofsted’s New School Ratings: What’s Changing and Why It Matters
The way schools in England are inspected and rated has changed. Ofsted — the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills — has replaced its traditional one-word judgements…
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Minister Calls for Greater SEND Investment During School Visit
A senior minister has called for greater investment in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision, after visiting a primary school in Essex praised for its inclusive approach. Education Minister…
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A Win for Creativity: What Curriculum Changes Mean for Music in Schools
It’s not every day that pop icons shape education policy — but Ed Sheeran’s voice has just helped do exactly that. Following the government’s biggest curriculum review in over a…
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How to Raise a Confident Learner in an Age of Instant Answers
In a world where every question can be answered by a chatbot, how do we help children stay curious, resilient, and confident in their own ability to learn? Today’s learners…
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Why Many Pupils Welcome Limits on Smartphones in Schools
Across the UK, the debate around smartphones in schools is intensifying — and it’s not just teachers and parents with strong opinions. Increasingly, pupils themselves are voicing support for restrictions…
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Can Teacher Shortages Be Solved by Attracting Career Changers?
Across the North East of England, schools are struggling to fill classrooms with qualified teachers. Over the past five years, the number of trainee teachers in the region has fallen…
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Pledge to Remove Unsafe Concrete from Schools by 2029: What Parents Need to Know
The government has pledged to remove all reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) from schools in England by the end of this Parliament, setting a target of 2029. The move follows…