Daily roundup 5 February: Alcohol advertising, FGM prosecution, and education outcomes

There should be stricter regulations on alcohol advertising because of its impact on children, campaigners say. A survey of 800 primary school pupils showed many were more familiar with brands of beer than with leading brands of biscuits, crisps and ice-cream. The study, by charity Alcohol Concern, showed young children were more familiar with Fosters than McVities.


The director of public prosecutions has defended her decision to bring Britain’s first FGM case against a doctor who was cleared by a jury within 30 minutes. The Guardian reports that Alison Saunders said there was enough evidence to try Dr Dhanuson Dharmasena, who stood accused of reinstituting FGM to a woman after the birth of a child.


Sending disadvantaged children to boarding school does not automatically lead to an improvement in their academic performance, research by the University of Warwick has discovered. A study of 395 French pupils by Clement de Chaisemartin found that the disruption of boarding has a negative impact on pupils who reported lower levels of wellbeing – a likely explanation for their lack of academic progress. His results have been published in a paper, Ready for boarding? The effects of a boarding school for disadvantaged students.


More than 50 further free schools are expected to be approved this month. According to the Times, funding from the Treasury has been agreed for 54 schools that would open in 2016 and beyond. The move will reassure education reformers that the government remains committed to the Free School policy.


A judge has ruled that a mother-of-six with learning disabilities can be sterilised. The Guardian reports that health authority and social services bosses had asked Mr Justice Cobb to authorise forced entry into the woman’s home, the use of “necessary restraint” and sterilisation, as it was in the best interests of the woman. Specialists said the woman had health problems that could put her life in danger if she became pregnant again.


A school has apologised for sending a text message to hundreds of parents informing them their child was “missing”. The Times reports that the message was sent in error by an automated “truancy alert” at the Cornwall secondary school when a member of staff pressed the wrong button while trying to refresh the system.