Daily roundup 4 June: Free school meals, childbirth, and teacher recruitment

Children whose parents are on benefits could be missing out on free school meals by 2022, it has emerged. The Independent reports that a government impact assessment said changes to eligibility rules as a result of the introduction of Universal Credit mean that between 2.3 million and 2.6 million fewer children will be eligible by 2022.


Women who have more than one or two children increase their risk of a major heart attack in future by as much as 40 per cent, UK researchers have found. The Independent reports that a study by academics at the University of Cambridge showed the biggest risks were to mothers with five or more children, but increased with each successive child. Researchers said pregnancy and childbirth each put significant strain on the heart, which, in addition to the stress and demands of raising a larger family, leaves less time for self-care.


Education Secretary Damian Hinds has launched a clampdown on agencies charging schools "excessive" fees to recruit staff and advertise vacancies, in a drive to help save money and enable teachers to focus on what matters in the classroom. The Department for Education said it currently costs schools up to £75m a year on recruitment. To combat the costs, a free website has been launched to advertise vacancies.


Cambridge University has said it will not be able to change the diversity of its students "on its own" after figures showed some colleges had admitted no British black students, or as few as one a year, between 2012 and 2016. The Financial Times reports that admissions statistics obtained under a Freedom of Information request showed that six of Cambridge's 29 undergraduate colleges had admitted fewer than 10 British black or mixed white and black students during the five-year period.


MSPs have called on the Scottish government to ensure messages given to children by military officers on school visits are "appropriate" following concerns about pupils being encouraged to leave school and join the military. The Scotsman reports that the Scottish parliament's public petitions committee said the government should carry out a nationwide study of the impact of school visits by the armed forces.