Students at the University of the West of England have gone into occupation in support of Free Education for all. Education is a human right that has increasingly been annexed off by the political elite for the privileged few, for those able to take on the £44,000 worth of debt that an undergraduate degree incurs. In protesting this system over the past week students at Warwick University have been met with police brutality, pepper sprayed and threatened with tasers; students at Sheffield University have been illegally and dangerously locked into their occupation, with security blocking fire exits with the use of chains and padlocks. Bristol’s students are united in solidarity with their comrades nationally and across the world that are standing up for their rights, and resisting oppression by the elite. We send our full hearted support to the students of Mexico who live in constant fear of being abducted and killed for demanding what is theirs and those in the United States suffering and resisting police brutality.

It is important that children with School Refusal, School Phobia and Separation Anxiety receive mental health support and are not over-ridden by adults, professionals and supporting staff. Currently, children with the debilitating mental illness are forced, restrained and belittled as tactics for continued attendance. Parents are also threatened with attendance penalties and Court action which needs to be removed from policy. These actions against parents and direct action to the child, worsens the condition as trust becomes diminished, causes more distress to the child, stress and pressure to the families who also report in vast numbers attempted suicide, self harm and running away. Our children must be listened to, heard and allowed to use their voices in the strive to move forward, rehabilitate and allow them to continue with a future. Spending and funds must be put in place as presently, schools and some professionals refuse to acknowledge school refusal, school phobia and its causes either as a budget strategy or simply mis-diagnose. The UK Government state that Home Educational Support will be given for children who cannot attend school. However, without correct diagnosis and acknowledgement, these children won't have access to any such resources. Thank you for taking the time to read about School Refusal Children and the impact on families.

- Education is a human right, not a privilege. - For more than 50 years after WW2 we had free education, so if we could afford it then we can afford now, when this country is in fact wealthier! - When countries like Germany, Brazil, Finland, Venezuela and Ecuador can afford free education, and when Scotland can do likewise, why can't the rest of the UK? - We have the highest tuition fees in Europe, but are also one of the richest countries in the world! This isn't right. - Tuition fees create and uphold social, racial and gender divides, so everyone should have access to free, quality education - Education and training benefit not only students and learners but also our entire society, because better educated and trained citizens can contribute more to our national economy and to the quality of life of all members of our society. - Tuition fee and maintenance loans burden students with years of debt but without significantly reducing the cost to the tax payer of funding higher education. - Tuition fees deter many people from taking full advantage of the long-term benefits of a higher education and/or training - Activists got Germany to abolish tuition fees and we won the fight against the student loan sell off in the UK. These are just two recent examples of how we can and have won what we've demanded. But how have we done this? Through a clear message and constant pressure through marches, direct action, campus mobilisation, opinion pieces and through petitions just like this(!) that show that people in this country don't want tuition fees and believe we can afford free education for all.

The governors and head have been meeting in secret with REAch2 over the past months and have decided to take this community school out of council control and into the private sector without so much as asking the parents for their views. This is not lawful and not in the best interests of the children. Let's tell them that we demand to be heard. Let them make their case to us. Let's not let them dictate that our children's education should be privatised. We would like answers to the following questions: 1) Why was the decision to seek academy status made in secret and without consultation? 2) When was this decision made, by whom, and with what outside influence? 3) What advice has the school received from Local Authority with regards to consultation? 4) At what point in the process where REAch2 selected as the trust? 5) What other trusts have made representations to our school? 6) Why was the decision to select REAch2 made in secret and without consultation? 7) What influence have they had on school policy and communications over the last several months? 8) What communications have the school received from the DfE and the LA on this subject?

Ofsted needs to be fair and focus on results. Britain is about diversity and you would expect Islam to be the focus in an Islamic faith based school just as Judaism is the focus in Jewish faith based schools and Christianity is the focus in Christian faith based schools. During the troubles on Northern Ireland, nobody blamed Christianity for these troubles. The academic results of the targeted Islamic schools have been above average and we urge Ofsted to come to a fair resolution and work with the school's rather than threaten closure and acting with prejudice against Islamic schools.

As part of Stonewall's 'No Bystanders' campaign, it was revealed to me that 75,000 young people will be bullied every year because they are gay, and of this number, 21,000 will attempt suicide. This figure is unacceptable, and the only way that it can be lowered is through education. As an eighteen year old, soon heading off to University, not once during my school career have I been taught that it is acceptable to be gay, bisexual or transgender - the possibility that myself, or any of my classmates may be LGBT is entirely ignored. It is for this reason that many young people struggle to come to terms with the fact that they are gay, bisexual or transgender, and it is for this reason that young people continue to bully their peers for being LGBT. The physical and psychological wellbeing of young people is of the utmost importance, and the education system has a responsibility to LGBT youths that cannot and must not be ignored.

The tax revenues could be used to make real improvements to state schools.

Some years ago the pavement outside our main entrance on Cliff Villas was widened. this was as a result of our school council writing to the local authority. This resulted in children and parents having more space to get in and out of school safely. This entrance is now much less crowded and dangerous. Unfortunately we do still have a big problem with too many buggies and people at the Nursery and Reception entrance each morning and afternoon. This is because that part of the pavement is still too narrow. It is an ordinary sized pavement with the added difficulty of some very big trees in it. This means that the adults have to move around trees, people and other buggies. as well as coping with the children and families leaving from the main entrance and walking along the street to go home. We are worried that there will be an accident soon with somebody being run over by the wheels of a pushchair or getting pushed onto the road by the crowd and into a car. If the pavement was wider, parents would have space to move around the trees without blocking another parent’s way making it much safer and calmer. If the widened pavement outside our main entrance was extended to the boundary of our school building this whole issue would be resolved. We would also like the council to consider making Cliff Villas a one way road. It would stop arguments between car drivers when they meet each other going the other way and can’t get past - it is currnetly not big enough for cars travelling two abreast. A wider pavement would not then be a problem for car drivers either. We hope the council will think carefully about our idea and can help us make outside our school safer for parents and children and that you will support us in putting pressure on them to do so by signing our petition.

Iqra is 18. She was a full time school pupil yesterday, today she is unemployed. She can't attend college full time because she has high anxiety levels caused by her autism. There are not enough part time specialist places for her to get the same opportunity as her mainstream peers. THE UNKINDEST CUT OF ALL – EIS HIGHLIGHTS SCALE OF COLLEGE ASN CUTS The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), the country’s largest union for teachers and lecturers, has highlighted the significant impact of long term cuts to Further Education funding on Additional Support Needs (ASN) provision in Scotland’s colleges. The EIS submitted Freedom of Information (FoI) requests to each college in Scotland asking key questions regarding each institution’s ASN provision. The results show a significant decline, nationally, in the level of support available to students with ASN in Scotland’s FE colleges – with significant regional differences in provision. EIS-FELA (Further Education Lecturers’ Association) President John Kelly said, “The results of this national survey of ASN provision in Scotland’s colleges clearly indicate a significant decline in ASN provision for students since the Government began implemented funding cuts for FE colleges four years ago. The evidence from this EIS-FELA survey shows that it is the students who both require and deserve specialist additional support that are suffering the deepest and most damaging consequences of funding cuts. Continued funding cuts have led to a systematic reduction in ASN activity and a reduction in total college capacity to support ASN students – the most vulnerable students in society. The sad truth is that cuts to ASN provision make it far more difficult, if not impossible, for many of these learners to access education at all.” He added, “The Survey also identifies an alarming range in the amount of ASN provision different FE regions provide, which raises serious equality concerns. For example, Dundee College had 699 DPG18 (ASN) students in 2012-13 whilst Aberdeen College had 240, despite being a much larger college. In the same year; West Lothian College, Aberdeen College and Anniesland College all delivered similar amounts of DPG18 ASN activity despite significant differences in their size and geographic footprint. ASN provision is erratic and it would seem purely historical, with no nationwide planning, that the levels of support ASN students receive is dependant mainly on where they live. For Learners with ASN, potentially having to travel to an institution in another part of the country can present a significant barrier to their access to education.” He went on to say, “These are the most vulnerable students in tertiary education and they deserve better. The EIS-FELA survey shows clear trends over the last four years – and starkly identifies the decline in ASN provision within every metric we surveyed – fewer DPG 18 students, fewer ASN courses, fewer qualified staff, fewer rooms and so on. The FE Colleges are now funded as a public sector, with the Scottish Funding Council overseeing regional outcome agreements based on government priorities. ASN provision needs to be restored to 2009-10 levels, and greater consistency of ASN activity delivered across Scotland. The Scottish Government and the SFC will need to ensure that all Regional Outcome Agreements have similar terms.”

Currently 95% of secondary schools offer work experience to students but this excludes the school I am currently attending.Furthermore, work experience seems to be a great way to introduce young people to the world of work before they go out and get their first job

Sites such as this give the illusion of change without debating the facts or achieving anything. They are a little use as 'Like this if you wish cancer didn't exist' on Facebook

Abbey School is a valuable community resource, providing education for children with special educational needs. In 2008 it was rated Outstanding, in 2011 it was rated Good and in 2014 it was rated Inadequate. The school can regain its previous standards with support and encouragement. Closure of the school would represent the loss of a valuable learning establishment, which has become part of our town's social fabric. We call upon Rotherham Council to take appropriate steps to improve the effectiveness of Abbey School and preserve it for the benefit of future Rotherham generations.