As the childcare crisis fuels inequality for women and children, mums are demanding action

The childcare system is at breaking point both in Bristol and nationally, with mothers being forced out of the workforce as costs rise and provision shrinks.

Charities distance themselves from council review into ‘spying’ on SEND parents’ social media

As councillors prepare to vote on an independent inquiry into alleged online surveillance of parents of children with special educational needs, third parties named in an internal report have challenged the council's narrative.

‘We don’t want children leaving school illiterate’: how schools need to step up for dyslexic students

Mike Jones was bullied at school in the 1970s because he couldn't spell his name. Almost four decades later, he developed a program that now helps thousands of dyslexic children learn.

Listen: Bristol Unpacked on stopping the ‘school to prison pipeline’, and why teachers may be on the picket lines soon, with educator Lana Crosbie

Lana Crosbie is a senior school leader, race specialist and equality campaigner with over 20 years’ experience teaching in schools.

‘Zero-tolerance behaviour policy may be contributing to exclusion of Bristol’s most vulnerable students’

Michal Grant has worked with many kids excluded from mainstream education who say the Ready to Learn behavioural system is failing them.

Lost learning: ‘My grandson’s being failed by a broken education system’

The grandmother of a boy repeatedly removed from Bristol primary schools speaks out, as the city's mayor backs a zero-exclusions policy.

Parents and staff warn of post-Covid nursery placement shortage

Staffing shortages are forcing nurseries in the city to close or scale back services.

Bristol’s nursery schools battle to stay afloat as government proposals offer lifeline

Bristol's 12 council-funded nurseries, which play a vital role in reducing inequalities among young children, aren't sustainable due to years of underfunding.

Revealed: Parents taking legal action over mistreatment of son at special needs school

A former worker has also shed light on what happened before St Christopher's closed in 2019 and police investigated child cruelty.

Pupils struggle to adapt to school post-lockdown

Social anxiety among school kids is up and attendance is down as the impact of the lockdowns is still being felt in schools today.

Council still missing targets to tackle SEND crisis, more than two years since damning inspection

Campaigners are criticising Bristol City Council for stalled progress since a damning inspection declared the city’s service ‘not fit for purpose’ in 2019.

Why PE isn’t just about exercising – and needs protecting

Sports advocates say it’s more than exercise that kids are missing out on when sports are cut from school timetables.