Daily roundup: Poor children, CQC cover up and tax-free childcare
Tristan Donovan
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Ofsted chief says schools let down poor pupils, NHS watchdog may name cover up officials, and a call to introduce tax-free childcare sooner, all in the news today.
Poor children are being let down by schools in suburbs, market towns and seaside resorts, Ofsted head Michael Wilshaw warned today. BBC News reports that Wilshaw said that the “invisible minority” of poor children living in affluent areas are being let down by schools. His comments coincide with an Ofsted report that sets out ways to improve outcomes for these children.
The Care Quality Commission is reviewing its decision not to name the people involved in a possible cover up of flaws in its inspections of University Hospitals Morecambe Bay, BBC News reports. The NHS regulator said it was advised by lawyers that naming the officials would breach the Data Protection Act but Information Commissioner Christopher Graham has challenged that advice.
The government’s tax-free childcare policy should be introduced sooner than 2015, according to a report by the Conservative Women’s Forum. The Guardian says the report, which looks at ways to help women land top jobs in business, also calls for better careers guidance for girls.
Children in Wales have poor numeracy skills, according to a report by schools inspectorate Estyn. The report examined the schools inspected during 2010 to 2012 and found that two-fifths of primary pupils and half of secondary pupils had weak numeracy skills. Estyn chief inspector Ann Keane said it was vital schools have clear plans for developing children’s numeracy skills.
More than half of parents are worried that their children spend too much time “staring at screens”, according to a poll of nearly 2,000 parents by holiday activities firm Super Camps. The poll found that 40 per cent of parents wished their children had more fresh air and exercise, and 38 per cent wanted their children to spend less time using computers.
And finally, shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg has told Michael Gove to spend more time focusing on his own policies after the Education Secretary wrote him a letter questioning the details of Labour’s recently announced policy on schools. In his reply Twigg said that given the problems with the education system “surely your time would be better spent addressing these issues rather than being a pigeon carrier for Lynton Crosby’s gimmicks”.
