Police cars are standing guard outside Beijing schools this week in an attempt to stop deadly assaults on students.

The Govt's plan to cut Education Ministry backroom staff would force paperwork on to frontline workers, the Public Service Association says.

Once parents join Education Minister Anne Tolley in the national standards debate, she wins, as was evident yesterday.

A jury has heard allegations against an Auckland primary schoolteacher accused of grooming a male pupil for sex.

Mary Ashby-Green asks whether starting school on the fifth birthday is good for our children

The Government will double funding to tackle truancy after a survey of schools found more than 30,000 children a day are skipping classes.

Almost three-quarters of parents support the Government's controversial national achievement standards for primary and intermediate students.

Sending children as young as 9 overseas for six months is a growing trend in the UK, where it's seen as one of the best ways to learn a second language.

The Govt will spend $200,000 on a nationwide letter and brochure drop to inform people about new educations standards in place from today.

Today marks the beginning of the school year and the start of National Standards, but it should be business as usual for children heading to class.

John Key is trying to shut down concerns about national standards by saying decisions on how the data will be publicly reported are too far away to worry about.

Principals are worried that primary schools in poor areas will be made to look bad when national standards are introduced next week.