elaine dunkley, bbc news, in rotherham.t's called send help. the mayor of london will extend free schools meals to every primary school pupil in the capital for a year. the scheme, which will cost around £130 million, will come into effect from september. sadiq khan says he wants to ensure parents don't worry about how to feed their children. what we do know is across london and, indeed, across the country, many families are struggling because of the cost—of—living crisis. the child poverty action group have estimated that there are 210,000 children in london not receiving free school meals, but whose families are living in poverty. unfortunately, to receive free school meals, you've got to have a household income of less than £7,a00 — after tax — irrespective of the number of children you have. and speaking to teachers and parents, we know its leading to children not doing as well at school. the race is on to succeed nicola sturgeon as snp leader and first minister of scotland. kate forbes, who's currently scotland's finan

elaine dunkley life in liverpool.ngland, but education is a devolved issue so let's see what's happening elsewhere. ben philip is in aberdeen. first, to our wales correspondent tomos morgan in cardiff. tell us about the impact of the strikes where you are. weill. of the strikes where you are. well, there are about _ of the strikes where you are. well, there are about 1,500 _ of the strikes where you are. well, there are about 1,500 schools - of the strikes where you are. well, there are about 1,500 schools in i there are about 1,500 schools in wales, we have calculated nearly a third of those are closed today. this one behind me is closed to pupils, but there are teachers not on strike you have gone in today. so the dispute and the pressures and the dispute and the pressures and the impact on schools is varied across the country. most are affected in some way, but there is a real discrepancy, like a postcode lottery if you like. for example, in the local authority of blaenau gwent in east wales, all schools are shut b

elaine dunkley, bbc news, in rotherham.d founder of the charity sparkle sheffield. thank you very much forjoining us. the picture painted the, is that something you recognise? you have three children with autism? yes. three children with autism? yes, most definitely. _ three children with autism? yes, most definitely. with _ three children with autism? yes, most definitely. with my - three children with autism? is: most definitely. with my second youngest son, i had to go to court to get provisions for him, in terms of his educational health care plan, because it wasn't right. it wasn't quantified and specified. and that was eight years ago. so things haven't changed, got so much worse. covid didn't help but things have got so much worse. 50 covid didn't help but things have got so much worse.— covid didn't help but things have got so much worse. so you took your local authority _ got so much worse. so you took your local authority to _ got so much worse. so you took your local authority to court _ got so much worse. so you

elaine dunkley, bbc news, in rotherham.take you to wiltshire now where king charles has been watching a defensive... for ukrainian troops from partnerforces. this i'm told the last five weeks to deliver basic combat training on these trips will return to fight ukraine. he has been accompanied today by the chief of general staff general sir patrick sanders and this training has been happening sincejuly last year and happening since july last year and will continue happening sincejuly last year and will continue all the way through this year and the recruits are being taught how to survive in a hostile environment so pictures here from wiltshire, as we approach the year anniversary this month of the russian invasion of ukraine. now it's time for a look at the weather with helen. good afternoon. mild start to the working week but with a lot of cloud around. this is a weak weather front. it is giving some appreciable rain over the hills of scotland just nudging a little bit further north. there's drizzle in coastal and hilly ar

eardley, thank you very much, our chief political correspondent. 0ur education correspondent elaine dunkleyine. first of all, is the school completely closed today or open to some pupils? the school is completely closed today. there are around 80 mums of staff here who are part of the neu and the head teacher said he had no option but to close. let's chat to some of those teachers today. there are 1300 pupils at the school who are 1300 pupils at the school who are at home. dan, you were a pupil at the school yourself and now you are a teacher here. tell me why you are a teacher here. tell me why you are on strike. it's your first time on strike. it are on strike. it's your first time on strike-— are on strike. it's your first time on strike. , ,., ., , ., on strike. it is, reported to stand in solidarity _ on strike. it is, reported to stand in solidarity with _ on strike. it is, reported to stand in solidarity with our— on strike. it is, reported to stand in solidarity with our colleagues i on strike. it is, reported to stand. in solidarity with our colleagues to make _ in solidarity with

our education correspondent, elaine dunkley, has been speaking to some of those on strike in liverpoolto stoke, from cardiff to aberdeen, teachers are out on strike across britain. at chesterfield high in crosby, the school gates are closed. more than 1,000 children are at home, whilst teachers are on picket lines in a dispute over pay. i've been doing it 20 years now and, unfortunately, you watch a lot of really good young teachers come and go because they can get the same money elsewhere, without as much pressure. people are, you know, scrimping on shopping, struggling with electricity bills, etc. genuine worries that, you know, can't be avoided. you can'tjust stop paying your bills. if anybody knows a teacher, they'll know that it's not - just a nine—to—five job. every weekend, every i evening, early mornings, it's a huge workload, but we do it for the l love of the children. one, two, three, four, five, six. down the road, at our lady queen of peace school, three classes have been sent home. the head is determined that those not in school won't fall behind. we'll ensure that the ch

elaine dunkley, bbc news, in rotherham.led "send help". let's take a look at some of today's papers. the discovery of a body near to where nicola bulley vanished in lancashire dominates many front pages. the daily mirror has the headline "family's worst fear", as the police identification process is still ongoing. the times also leads on that grim discovery — it features a picture of the spot along the river bank where police were called to yesterday. the guardian leads on an interview with the world health organisation's incoming chief scientist. jeremy farrar tells the paper that health care workers around the world are "absolutely shattered", and that something needs to be done to address a staffing and morale crisis. and if you're still hungry for bafta news, you can go to bbc online. the most watched video this morning is a collection of things you may have missed from the awards ceremony including dame helen mirren's tribute to the queen. i never realised there were so many awards, some of them don't end up on the tv

elaine dunkley, bbc news in halifax. we're joined now by education secretary, gillian keegan. not. we will have figures later and _ closed? we do not. we will have figures later and publish - closed? we do not. we will have figures later and publish those i closed? we do not. we will have i figures later and publish those this afternoon. we did a survey and have run around a lot of schools. that told us the majority will be open but some will have restrictions for different cohorts. we have asked and i have written and asked for any teacher going on strike to inform the head. i hope some will have done it because clearly the head teachers and school leaders are working hard to keep as many schools open as possible for our children. aha, lat to keep as many schools open as possible for our children. a lot of arents possible for our children. a lot of parents will _ possible for our children. a lot of parents will be _ possible for our children. a lot of parents will be wondering - possible for our children. a lot of parents will be wondering one i possible for our children. a l

elaine dunkley, bbc news, in rotherham.n office, he said she was a friend in a mental as well, and he drew attention to the fact he has been in government here in scotland for over ten years. he says he has the experience, is willing to work across the political divide to get things done and that he saw independence as a way towards a more sociallyjust society. interestingly as well he said there were two things worth drawing out from the commons this morning, he said he still supports the gender recognition reform bill, he sees the section 45 order that was implemented by the government of westminster is an affront to democracy and he also said on the matter of independence that he was not wedded to nicola sturgeon's preferred strategy for another independence referendum, that would be treating the next election as a de facto referendum. he said that was her preference, but he would consult on what the best strategy was when it comes to fighting for another independence referendum, so we heard a speech this morning. this a