Daily roundup 26 February: Energy drinks, university access, and Savile

Energy drinks should be banned for children under 16, campaign group Action on Sugar has said. The BBC reports that the organisation surveyed the nutritional labels of 197 drinks found in supermarkets and online. One had the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar per 250ml. Action on Sugar is calling for strict limits on added sugars.


Top universities have been told to double the number of poor students they admit. The Times reports that admissions watchdog the Office for Fair Access, wants to increase the number of teenagers from poor backgrounds going to university by 40,000 within five years. Most recent statistics show that 22,000 teenagers from poor families went to university in 2011.


Jimmy Savile abused 63 people, aged eight to 40, connected to Stoke Mandeville Hospital, an independent report has found. It said Savile's reputation as a "sex pest" was an "open secret" among some staff - but allegations probably did not reach managers. Dr Androulla Johnstone, the report's lead investigator, said the victims were "patients, staff, visitors, volunteers and charity fundraisers" - with almost half aged under 16 and 10 under the age of 12, reports The Times.


A teacher-led commission is being set up to help primary schools in England find new ways of assessing their pupils' progress. The previous system of levels, where pupils' progress was assessed against standards set by the national curriculum, has been scrapped, reports the BBC. The Commission on Assessment Without Levels will be led by former head teacher of the London Oratory School, John McIntosh.


Windsor and Maidenhead Council is extending additional educational support to all adopted children in the borough as part of a pilot project. The council said adoptive parents will now be able to receive support from a virtual school head to work with them and their children’s school and develop a personal education plan specific to their child’s needs.


Schools need to work better with pupils' families in order to address barriers faced by  disadvantaged children, a charity has said. School-Home Support (SHS) wants the next government to ensure that schools, local agencies and charities co-operate to ensure that disadvantaged children get the support they need.