The Observer Daily: the end of Teach First?

The best of The Observer, from across our newsroom View in browser The end of Teach First? The best of The Observer, from across our newsroom Basia Cummings • Friday 11 July 2025 Dear friend, Today a scoop from our political editor Rachel Sylvester, who understands that the leading programme that trains top graduates to go and teach in deprived areas will not be allowed to operate under its current name. A document inviting organisations to bid for a new contract specifies that the work must be delivered by a "supplier neutral brand". One insider said this means the charity would effectively be abolished, if the proposed change goes ahead. "If you can't use the Teach First brand you are no longer Teach First," they said. More than 20,000 teachers have been trained and placed in schools since Teach First was set up in 2003, of which King Charles, Gordon Brown and Theresa May are all patrons. A former chairman of Teach First asks: "Why would you undo the best initiative in education?"   Click here for the full report → "The enemy of nonsense" – George Orwell Also in The Observer 'The left must persuade voters they truly care' What does the state of politics look like in 2025? Dominating much of the limelight are big authoritarian personalities, throwing their weight around on the world stage and taking a hammer to global relations. The populist right is gaining support in many European nations and the UK. Those who aren't convinced by that approach have never been more disaffected, especially those from the struggling working classes. So where is the left? Deborah Mattinson and Claire Ainsley make the argument that, against this bleak backdrop, there are positive lessons to be learned from successes of the centre left. In Australia, in the UK last year, and in pockets of the US where Democrats are bucking the trend, candidates are winning with an important message: "not just 'yes we can' but also 'yes we care'."     Click here to read more → Bad Bunny puts Puerto Rico on the map by Claire McQue       The popularity of Bad Bunny cannot be overstated. In 2022, his album Un Verano Sin Ti was the most listened to on Spotify that year. His 2025 album Debí Tirar Más Fotos is the top slot this year so far. Rapping mostly in Spanish, he is perhaps the biggest cultural force in Latin America. So it's no wonder that his homecoming residency in Puerto Rico has drawn huge crowds, and his anti-Trump messages are cutting through too. Claire McQue writes: "Bad Bunny [is] spearheading a wave of action at a time when Donald Trump is vowing to deport millions of Latinos." Click here to read more → It's time for sumptuous summer berries by Nigel Slater       There are few greater pleasures to be found in life than the comforting mundanity of plucking berries from bushes and brambles in the July sunshine. If you've enjoyed that and are now racking your brain on what to do with all those berries clogging up your fridge space, then Nigel Slater's recipe for a mascarpone tart with a crisp biscuity base is guaranteed to hit the spot. Because it's far too hot to do any 'proper' baking. Click here to read more → Listen Daily Sensemaker Why did Christian Horner leave Red Bull's F1 team? Formula One's longest serving team principal has been sacked Click here to listen → The Animal Sensemaker Purple frogs: an annual ritual Once a year they come above ground to mate but in doing so, they face a whole host of challenges Click here to listen → Thanks for reading. We'll be back next week.   Basia Cummings Editor, digital The Observer Brad Gray Production editor, newsletters The Observer   My Account To manage your newsletters, track tickets and more, go to the 'My account' page on the Observer website: Manage my newsletters Follow Follow The Observer on social media on your preferred platform:   The Observer     The Observer Food Monthly The Observer Magazine The Observer New Review   Listen Listen for free in the Tortoise app or wherever you get your podcasts: Want to change how you receive these emails? Update email preferences Copyright © 2025 Tortoise Media. All rights reserved. Did this email get caught in your spam filter? Add editor@newsroom.tortoisemedia.com to your address book to never miss an email again. No longer want to receive this newsletter? Unsubscribe here.