Daily roundup 10 February: Field trips, cyberbullying, and youth crime

Concerns have been raised that disadvantaged children are avoiding subjects because schools are breaching guidelines by charging parents for field trips. A survey by teachers union, NASUWT, of 2,500 parents found more than a third of those with children over 11-years-old had been required to pay for a field trip that was central to exam courses. The findings come despite the Department for Education stating it is illegal for state schools to charge pupils for elements of a course required by the curriculum, reports the Independent.


Young people claim they bully other people online to fit in and avoid becoming targets, a poll by Action for Children has revealed. The poll, which involved 2,000 young people aged eight to 17 found one in seven children and young people admit to having bullied someone online, the Daily Mail reports. The findings come on the Safer Internet Day, which aims to promote safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology.


Crime figures are rising because teachers are reporting incidents in the playground and classroom to police, a senior police officer has said. According to the Express, Merseyside chief constable, Sir Jon Murphy believes the rise in teacher reports is partly to blame for the 16 per cent rise in the “violent assault without injury” category. Figures from the Office of National Statistics show in the past year, assault without injury has risen by more than 40,000 nationally.


Rotherham MP Sarah Champion has criticised the government for not doing enough to provide funding to tackle child abuse in the town. According to the Rotherham Star, Champion has been pressing the Prime Minister for funding since the publication of the Casey Report. She said: “The council was given £120,000 to fund charities but it’s not nearly enough.”


More than half of children in the UK have done something antisocial or risky online, a BBC Learning poll of 2,000 11- to 16-year-olds has suggested. Activities included the sharing of unsuitable images and videos of themselves as well as looking at unsuitable websites and saying hurtful things about others. The research was commissioned as part of online safety campaign, Be Smart.


Young people are avoiding walking and cycling because of growing safety fears, according to a survey by road safety charity Brake. A poll involving 1,301 school pupils aged 11 to 17 revealed 41 per cent believe traffic was dangerously fast, while 47 per cent were put off by parent’s worries. Brake and other campaigners are now calling for a 20mph speed limit to be adopted more widely in urban areas, the BBC reports.