Daily roundup: Downhills school, Ofsted on adoption agencies and A-level results

Parents trying to prevent a primary school in North London being converted into an academy have failed in their legal bid, the BBC reports. In June, the Department for Education (DfE) ordered that Downhills Primary School in Tottenham become an academy in September. A group of parents sought a judicial review but Mr Justice Kenneth Parker said that in light of the school’s past performance, the decision to convert to an academy was rational.

A revised framework for the inspection of adoption support agencies has been published by Ofsted. The new look inspections, due to begin next month, will focus on the views and experiences of children and families using services. Inspections will be based on fewer judgments and will give agencies less notice of an impending visit.

Students getting their A-level results should consider college as an alternative to university, the Association of Colleges has said. Given rising tuition fees, chief executive Martin Doel said young people should think about all their options - including apprenticeships and vocational courses. Figures released today show a fall in the proportion of pupils awarded an A or A* grade for the first time in 20 years. This summer's results show 26.6 per cent of A-level entries achieved the top two grades - down from 27 per cent last year.

The number of smokers in England will be revealed later today with the proportion of children who smoke expected to be on the decline, according to the BBC. Meanwhile moves are being made to ban people from smoking in Blackpool’s parks in an attempt to protect children from the dangers of passive inhalation, The Blackpool Gazette reports.