Daily roundup: GCSE results, fines and Neet figures

There has been a fall in English GCSE grades with 61.7 per cent of young people getting a grade C or above, a fall of 1.9 percentage points on last year. However, the BBC reports that, overall, there was a slight rise in A* to C grades across all subjects. A total of 68.8 per cent of entries scored A* to C, up 0.7 percentage points on 2013.

The number of fines issued to parents in Suffolk for allowing their children to miss school has risen by almost 500 per cent in the space of five years. The East Anglian Daily Times reports that there were 303 fines for unauthorised absences handed out to parents between September 2013 and July 2014, compared with just 61 in 2009/10.

The proportion of 16- to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training (Neet) fell by eight per cent between April and June this year. Figures published by the Department for Education also show that the number of Neet 19- to 24-year-olds fell by 2.2 per cent during the same period.

More free mediation sessions will be provided for couples involved in disputes over their children, property, and finances. The Ministry of Justice said that last year nearly two-thirds of couples who attended a single mediation session for a child dispute reached a full agreement.

New figures show that 221 unexplained infant deaths occurred in England and Wales in 2012.  According to the data, published by the Office for National Statistics, 71 per cent of unexplained infant deaths were recorded as sudden infant deaths, while 29 per cent were unascertained.

Ofsted has criticised a nursery in Croydon for leaving children in the care of unqualified members of staff. The Croydon Advertiser reports that the inspectorate visited Unity Day Nursery after receiving a complaint, which raised concerns about whether some staff members were suitable to work with children.