More than a quarter of schools are not improving pupils’ physical fitness through PE lessons, according to Ofsted. A report by the inspectorate also found few schools had adapted sports programmes to suit the needs of overweight pupils. Ofsted wants a new government strategy for PE to include better training for teachers. Chief inspector Michael Wilshaw said: “We found there often wasn’t enough physical, strenuous activity in PE lessons. Some teachers talked for too long and pupils were not provided with enough activity to enable them to learn or practice their skills.”
The Home Office has teamed up with music television channel MTV to produce adverts highlighting the issue of abuse between young people. The three adverts, launched to coincide with Valentine’s Day, are aimed at preventing young people from becoming victims and perpetrators of rape, emotional abuse and sexual violence. The television screenings will prompt young viewers to visit an online microsite containing further information and advice.
More than 700 poor families are to be moved up to 200 miles away from their homes by Camden council, the Guardian reports. More than 2,800 adults and children in the London borough will be affected by the decision to relocate people as far afield as Bradford. It comes as a result of changes to housing benefit that will leave some families unable to afford their accommodation.
Plain cigarette packets reduce underage smoking, researchers have claimed. Anti-smoking charity ASH said fewer under-16s in Scotland took up smoking in a six month period following a trial that standardised tobacco packaging. Ash is now calling on the Scottish and UK governments to introduce plain packaging. “Quick and decisive action on plain, standardised packs would be a great start and would also help protect children from an industry which puts profit over health and lives,” said Ash Scotland’s chief executive Sheila Duffy.
The Department for Education has been unable to identify the member of staff responsible for telling the Spectator magazine that former children’s minister Tim Loughton was a “lazy incompetent narcissist obsessed only with self-promotion”. In a letter to Loughton, published on Politics Home, the DfE’s permanent secretary Chris Wormald said: “It is wrong that this briefing took place, and that if it did come from an employee of the department, that would be unacceptable.” But he added: “We will not be able to progress this matter further unless the Spectator is prepared to name its sources.”
Children’s hospices could receive more funding following a personal appeal to the Prime Minister, the BBC reports. Khalid Aziz, chairman of charity Naomi House, met with David Cameron to address the fact that children’s hospices currently receive a smaller proportion of their funding from government than their adult counterparts. “All 46 children's hospices ought to benefit from today's meeting,” said Aziz.
