Mental Health Oversight: Northern Ireland’s Southern Trust is facing fresh scrutiny after figures show 65% of 2025 mental health seclusion incidents happened in its services, far higher than previous years. A-level Gender Gap: Boys’ share of A-level entries in Northern Ireland is the lowest in the UK, with girls taking a larger slice of entries and also leading at most grade bands. University Costs & Discounts: UK universities are rolling out fee discounts for overseas students in a “pricing war”, including the University of Sheffield’s £7,000 postgraduate tuition reduction for eligible international applicants. Student Driving Admin: The DVLA is reminding college and university students to update driving licence and vehicle details if they can’t be contacted at their permanent address. Early Years Expansion: A new £1m nursery and pre-school is set to open in Cranbrook, offering 100 places for children aged three months to five years. School Safety Concern: A child was hit by a car outside a Scottish primary school, prompting anger over alleged lack of action after prior incidents. International Education Policy: Australia moves to tighten controls on university links with China and other countries, with new powers to shut down programmes. Student Life & Access: Research highlights Preston as one of the UK’s cheapest student accommodation cities, with average weekly rent far below the national average.