Daily roundup 19 April: Football abuse, bullying and primary testing
Neil Puffett
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Police reveal that hundreds of suspects and victims have been identified as part of investigations into abuse in football; study finds British children are among the most bullied in the world; and union decides not to ballot teachers on whether to boycott primary school tests, all in the news today.
More than 250 potential suspects and 560 victims have now been identified by officers investigating child sex abuse within football in the UK, police have said. The BBC reports that some 311 football clubs, spanning all tiers of the game, are involved in the inquiry, called Operation Hydrant. The ages of the victims - 96 per cent of whom are male - span from four to 20.
British teenagers are highly motivated about their school work, but are more anxious, more likely to be bullied and are less satisfied with life than many of their peers elsewhere in the world, a survey has found. The Guardian reports that almost a quarter of British pupils who took part in the poll say they are being bullied a few times a month, while more than 14 per cent say they are bullied frequently, making the UK the fourth worst affected of all 34 countries surveyed.
The National Union of Teachers has voted against balloting members on a boycott of primary school tests, known as Sats, in England. The BBC reports that delegates at the union's conference rejected a resolution to ballot members over a protest against primary school tests for the academic year 2017/18.
A new partnership between NSPCC and supermarket chain Lidl will allow the children's charity to reach one million primary school children with crucial advice on how to stay safe from abuse. The NSPCC said Lidl has committed to raising £3m over the next three years for the NSPCC's Schools Service.
The Youth Hostels Association has appointed a new chief executive. James Blake joins from St Albans Council where he has held the role of chief executive since 2012.
