The phone-free, 12-hour school-day exper...

The hush-money trial ended with a historic verdict against a former president. Can Joe Biden capitalise on it? David Smith and Alice Herman report. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus 

We know more about extending our lifespans than ever before. Afterdecades spent drinking, eating and laughing at people with exercise regimes, what will it take for Phil Daoust to join the ranks of centenarians?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus 

Culture critics Peter Bradshaw, Tshepo Mokoena and Gwilym Mumford look ahead to the best of the year in film, TV and music. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus 

<p>Long after schools have fully reopened after the pandemic, one concerning metric suggests that children and their parents have changed the way they think about being in class.</p><p>Sarah Mervosh, an education reporter for The Times, discusses the apparent shift to a culture i ... Show More

<p>Ronda McIntyre’s classroom is built around a big rug, where her students crowd together often for group instruction. But since March, when schools across the country shut down because of the coronavirus, she has had to try to create the same sense of community remotely. Her cl ... Show More

What a first week back for Rishi Sunak: Gillian Keegan can’t stop making gaffes as schools continue to find out if they have unsafe concrete in their buildings. The Guardian’s John Harris and Gaby Hinsliff speak to a headteacher whose school is affected. Plus, the Guardian politi ... Show More

In this edition, we’ll be hearing from a single mum in Newbury about how she’s been trying to take care of her child while holding down a full-time job during lockdown. A local youth training organisation is struggling financially due to Coronavirus; we speak to the centre manage ... Show More

As kids return to class, there is mass confusion and anxiety from coast to coast about whether schools are going to open. Meanwhile, the number of children being hospitalized for coronavirus has almost tripled in some states since the beginning of December. Further, the FDA annou ... Show More

What happens when you take away a kid’s phone during school hours? In a word: drama. Some schools around the country are trying to completely remove smartphones from classrooms, requiring students to place them in pouches. Audie talks with Carol Kruser, Assistant Superintendent o ... Show More

<p>The leading Catholic school Ampleforth College has been temporarily banned by the government from taking on new pupils because of safety concerns. The boarding school is challenging a poor Ofsted report but the government said it was too slow in making improvements highlighted ... Show More

With Labor Day weekend gone, summer is unofficially over — and millions of children head back to school this week, many virtually. Two teachers — Rosie Reid in California and Lynette Stant in Arizona — share how things are going in their schools so far. Many states have decided t ... Show More

Politics Weekly UK is taking a break for the summer. John Harris will be back on Thursday 7 September, and in the meantime you can listen to our previous episodes here. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod 

<p>The childcare sector is on its knees with nursery staff on low wages struggling to make ends meet. Meanwhile parents buckle under the pressure of soaring childcare costs. And yet, the government&nbsp;has done little to help. Does this broken system need a complete rethink?</p> ... Show More