Daily roundup 5 March: Young mayor, school starting age, and apprentices

A young mayor for the London borough of Barking and Dagenham has been elected for the first time. Angelica Olawepo, aged 16, from Barking Abbey School, was chosen to be mayor by young people from the Barking and Dagenham (BAD) Youth Forum – a platform for young people across the borough. Angelica has represented young people in the borough in a variety of roles and is already engaged in community work and charity fundraising.


Parents of summer-born children are being told they could miss out on a year of secondary school if they delay their start at primary, MPs have been told. Michelle Melson, of the Summer Born Campaign, told the education select committee that some head teachers sent work to pre-schools so pupils could skip Reception and start in Year 1. But ministers say there is no evidence a later school start is beneficial, reports the BBC.


More than 9 in 10 parents agree apprenticeships are a good option for young people, but only a third think it is best for their child, according to a Demos report. The poll shows just a fifth (19 per cent) of parents had been spoken to by their child’s school about apprenticeships, whereas 45 per cent have had a conversation about their child going to university. The poll of 1,000 parents of 15 and 16-year-olds, found that just 32 per cent of respondents think that an apprenticeship would be the best option for their son/daughter, compared to just half of parents who think that university would be the best option.


Negative behaviour towards blind children is being passed down from generation to generation, a study suggests. Findings by Blind Children UK have found more than a third of children with a vision impairment have been left out of events and activities by the parents and guardians of their peers. The findings come from the ‘Parents and the playground’ study, which looked into the attitudes towards children and young people with sight loss.


The National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) wants to hear the views of the early years workforce on training, professional development and issues affecting the sector including the proposed National College of Teaching in England. The NDNA's annual sector survey will also take information, feedback and opinions from employers from the early years sector with findings being used to inform lobbying ahead of May's general election. Results will be analysed anonymously and presented next month.


The Conservatives are considering limiting child benefit to three children, BBC Newsnight has learned. If adopted it would save an estimated £300m a year, and, according to Conservative MP Dominic Raab, "send a message about personal responsibility". Child benefit - worth £20.50 a week for a first or only child, then £13.55 for other children - can be claimed by anyone responsible for a child under 16, or under 20 if the young person is in education or training.


A council has been forced to apologise after a worksheet which described Palestinians as “terrorists” and posed questions about al-Qaeda and Hamas was handed out to 11-year-old schoolchildren. The homework sheet, which was given to the pupils at New Stevenston primary school in Motherwell, has now been withdrawn from classrooms after complaints from parents. The Times reports that North Lanarkshire council admitted the homework was “entirely inappropriate” and apologised.