Daily roundup 9 April: Play, apprenticeships, and careers advice

Children at a primary school in Kent have been banned from running in the playground because of fears they could fall over and cause injury. According to the Times, Riverview Junior School in Gravesend has made the move because of too many incidents where children have been left hurt, including one child that ended up with a fractured collarbone. Pam Wenban, the interim co-head teacher, said: “We have asked children to refrain from playing a particular chasing game in the playground as we have found the increasing number taking part has caused some injuries.”


Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to announce 16,000 new apprenticeships today in a bid to tackle youth unemployment, the Express reports. Cameron will visit a Costa Coffee branch to highlight plans for 6,000 apprenticeships at the chain by 2020, with the National Grid expected to recruit 500, Morrisions supermarket expected to recruit 9,000 and Crest Nicholson 200. Cameron said: “We want apprenticeships to be level-pegging with a university degree giving millions more people the dignity of work.”


Individual face-to-face careers advice will be guaranteed for young people if the Labour Party get into government, according to BBC News. The plan will be presented in the party’s education manifesto and comes following concerns that careers advice in schools has deteriorated. “Young people must be equipped with the right skills, the right knowledge and the right advice they need to succeed,” party leader Ed Miliband said.


A campaign to stop Brighton and Hove City Council from cutting funds for children’s centres has been successful, according to the Argus. The City Council aimed to save £779,000 assigned to run children’s centres in the 2015/16 budget but has decided to protect the centre’s until at least 2016. Leah Webb, chairwoman of the Roundabout Children’s Centre advisory group, said: “If it wasn’t for campaign, many families would not have known the services were even at risk.”


Families spend hours bickering each week, according to research by British Gypsum. A survey of 2,000 parents found more than two fifths said their house was constantly noisy, while over half described their home as chaotic. The Daily Mail reports that most arguments (34 per cent) take place between children, followed by mum and children at 21 per cent. Some of the causes include noisy gadgets and leaving lights on.