Hampton Dene Primary School to get new classrooms in £2.4m revamp
Councillor Harry Bramer said it was "a major step forward for education in Hereford".He said the work at Hampton Dene school would provide "a safe, inspiring environment for students to thrive".
Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
20 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Country diary: So many butterflies, it reminds me of summers past
Two red admiral butterflies chase and spiral above the buddleia, flashing red and black wings against blue sky. Small tortoiseshells forage among the yellow radiating petals of Inula hookeri. Speckled wood and comma land beside them, two at once sharing a flower. A peacock flicks its large wings open and shut, each time revealing false eyes and sleek hairy body. It's a relief to see so many familiar butterflies feeding on familiar flowers. This time last year was very different. Then, I wrote in my Country Diary about their absence, despite the abundance of nectar plants here – the effect of a cold, wet winter and spring. When the results came in from the Big Butterfly Count (BBC), Butterfly Conservation declared a butterfly emergency. What a contrast this year. The initial results of the 2025 BBC have confirmed what so many of us suspected: that we are seeing butterflies more frequently and in greater numbers this summer than last, helped by the warm, dry spring. White butterflies, large and small, so far top the chart – full results are at the end of August – followed by gatekeeper, red admiral and meadow brown. What I'm seeing in my own garden echoes this. High numbers of large whites and green-veined whites flying around our veg. Meadow browns and small heaths on the purple-pink marjoram alongside numerous bumblebees and honeybees. Speckled wood and comma – two species that are gradually moving north – are plentiful. So much beauty too. The underwings of a painted lady glow orange, bathed in the reflected light of calendula petals. Daytime moths are also frequent. Large yellow underwings and dark arches on sea holly, the occasional thrill of a hummingbird hawk-moth – but not yet the more southern-based Jersey tiger, whose numbers, according to the initial BBC results, have soared this year. There's a wonderful sense of continuity at seeing the butterflies of my childhood, and similar in number (at least to my memory) of summers past. This year's profusion doesn't, of course, reverse their long-term decline, but it does feel more hopeful. Sitting here, watching the constant movement, I realise what easy joy butterflies bring – and how much I missed them last year. Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardian's Country Diary, 2018-2024 is published by Guardian Faber; order at and get a 15% discount
Times
4 hours ago
- Times
Our sex sessions go on for too long
Q. I'm in my thirties and have recently started dating a new man, but am having a problem I've not experienced before: the sex goes on for too long. After a certain point, I feel I stop enjoying it and just want it to be over. Is there a solution to this? A. Lots of men, especially those who grew up watching porn, misguidedly believe that being able to have sex for ages without climaxing is a real skill. Because women generally take longer than men to become aroused enough to achieve orgasm, it can be advantageous for a man to be able to sustain an erection. However, consistently extended sex sessions are unfortunately more likely to cause extreme discomfort than to give her an orgasm. • Read more expert advice on sex, relationships, dating and love The most obvious (and easy) solution to this problem is just to tell him that you'd like to mix things up a bit. Explain that sometimes all you actually want is a quickie — and that you find spontaneity extremely erotic. He is unlikely to take offence or react sensitively to this approach — if that's something you're worried about. However, if you are worried about how he will respond, you could also, not to be euphemistic, take matters into your own hands. By taking control and becoming a more active and assertive sexual partner, you are likely to find he achieves orgasm more quickly — as well as making the experience more varied and so enjoyable, hopefully for both of you. Get on top. Use your hands. Use your voice (research shows that 'copulatory vocalisation' aka moaning, hastens male orgasm). You could also introduce sex toys, if that feels like something you'd enjoy. Varying his sensory experience generally ensures that he will reach climax more rapidly. Having sex in different places will also help to change the pace. If you do all of this and nothing changes, your new partner may not actually be capable of speeding things up, however. Delayed ejaculation (DE) is a diagnosable condition that is defined as an active 'thrusting' threshold of more than 20 to 25 minutes during penetrative sex. It is not particularly common — about 5 to 10 per cent of men are affected by the condition. The five most common causes identified in research are anxiety/distress (41 per cent), inadequate stimulation (23 per cent), low arousal (18 per cent), medical issues (9 per cent), and partner issues (8 per cent). DE can also be a side-effect of antidepressants, drinking too much or taking drugs such as valium. It can also happen as a result of pudendal neuropathy which is most frequently caused by a crush to the perineum from cycling, particularly when a bike has a narrow racing saddle. • Read more from Suzi Godson If this is the issue, your new partner needs to talk to a doctor, but he may need your support to do so. Men can be dreadful at seeking medical help at the best of times, but this is even more true when the issue relates to sexual function. Getting a diagnosis is important, however, because DE can be an early indication of underlying health conditions such as diabetes or neuropathy. The good news is that one of the easiest ways to help men with DE to climax sooner is to introduce vibratory stimulation. In one small study, 36 men who had difficulty achieving orgasm were taught to use a vibrator during sex. After three months, 62 per cent had climaxed during sex. Even if your partner doesn't meet the criteria for DE, introducing additional stimulation may help you to speed things your questions to weekendsex@
.jpeg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26height%3D800%26crop%3D1200%3A800&w=3840&q=100)
The Independent
6 hours ago
- The Independent
Under-performance of boys at GCSE level ‘should be a matter of national concern' professor says
The under-performance of boys at GCSE level has been labelled as 'chronic' and should be treated as a 'major issue', a leading education professor has said. Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham, said the talents of boys are not being developed as 'fully' as they could be, which could lead to a 'decline in the nation's economic competitiveness'. He went on to predict that 'girls will continue to be ahead' of boys at that age group. His comments come before pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland receive their GCSE results on Thursday. Prof Smithers said: 'The apparent under-performance of boys at this stage of education should be a matter of national concern. 'But because boys are habitually seen as privileged, it does not receive the attention it deserves.' Last year, more than a fifth (21.8 per cent) of UK GCSE entries were awarded the top grades – at least a 7 or an A grade, down from 22.0 per cent in 2023. But it remained higher than in 2019 – the year before the pandemic – when 20.8 per cent of GCSE entries scored the top grades. The proportion of total female entries awarded grade 7/A or above was 24.7 per cent last year – 5.7 percentage points higher than total male entries (19.0 per cent). Prof Smithers said: 'The chronic under-performance of boys in education should be treated as a major issue. 'It appears that we are not developing the talents of half the population as fully as we could. 'This can only lead to a decline in the nation's economic competitiveness and ultimately loss of its standing in the world.' Ofqual brought A-level grading standards back in line with pre-Covid levels in England in 2023, and exam regulators in Wales and Northern Ireland returned to pre-pandemic grading last summer. The move came after Covid-19 led to an increase in top GCSE grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. Last week, the proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades rose again on last year and remained above pre-pandemic highs Speaking before GCSE results day, Prof Smithers suggested the proportion of GCSE entries scoring the top grades this year was likely to 'remain high' compared to 2019 – the year before the pandemic. He said: 'It could be we are seeing the emergence of a new normal in which case 2025 will resemble 2024, or the regulators could make a further push to get back to pre-pandemic levels.' While traditional A*-G grades are used for GCSE in Northern Ireland and Wales, these have been replaced in England with a 9-1 system, where 9 is the highest. A 4 is broadly equivalent to a C grade, and a 7 is broadly equivalent to an A. In England, many students who do not secure at least a grade 4 – which is considered a 'standard pass' – in English and/or maths GCSE are required to retake the subjects during post-16 education. In his report, Prof Smithers reiterated calls for a 'policy rethink' on compulsory resits as he suggested they were 'soul-destroying' and 'utterly demoralising'. He said: 'There should be an urgent review of the resit requirement, with a view to replacing it with a programme and qualification which would enable those failing the GCSEs to achieve fluency in the use of words and numbers.' Prof Smithers also reiterated calls for the English Baccalaureate – a government measure which aims to ensure pupils take English, maths, science, a humanities subject and a language at GCSE – to be 'scrapped' as he suggested the policy had 'failed' due to low take-up of foreign languages. Reflecting on provisional exam entries data for England, Prof Smithers highlighted that GCSE entries for French and German have fallen again. Spanish has overtaken French as the most popular foreign language at GCSE, provisional figures from Ofqual in June suggest. In his report, Prof Smithers said: 'Quite why there has been this surge in popularity is unclear, but it may have something to do with the increasing popularity of Spanish-speaking countries as holiday destinations.' He added: 'A more prosaic explanation is that Spanish is seen as easier than French or German.' Department for Education spokesperson said: 'We want every young person, whatever their gender, background or wherever they live to have the opportunity to succeed. 'The curriculum and assessment review is currently considering where improvements should be made to the education system, with its final report and recommendations due in the autumn. 'Later this year we will also bring about the further reforms needed as part of our plan for change through our Schools White Paper to create an education system where every child and young person can achieve and thrive.'
