Daily roundup: School attainment, secure estate and family centres
Neil Puffett
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Child's success at school linked to father's achievement; secure training centre gets glowing inspection report; and Ofsted releases new inspection details for residential family centres, all in the news today.
A father’s level of education is the strongest factor determining a child’s future success at school, a study has found. The Guardian reports that research by the Office for National Statistics found that children are seven times less likely to be successful at school if their father failed to achieve, compared with children with highly educated fathers.
A secure training centre has been praised following an inspection. The Northern Echo reports that an unannounced inspection of Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in early July by Ofsted, the Quality Care Commission and Her Majesty Inspector of Prisons rated its overall ability to meet the needs of young offender as good with outstanding features.
Ofsted has published a new inspection framework for residential family centres. The new framework will come into effect from 6 October, with each centre being inspected every three years. A residential family centre is any establishment that provides residential services for parents and their children in order to assess the parents’ capacity and potential to respond to their children’s needs and to safeguard and promote their children’s welfare.
Organisations delivering youth services in London have been awarded grants of up to £4,000. Project Oracle has given away a total of £20,500 to seven youth projects, including Teens & Toddlers and Catch22, in celebration of the positive impact they have on children and young people living in the capital.
Leicestershire County Council’s public health department has commissioned new guidance advising schools on how to improve their sex and relationships education (SRE). The aim of the guidance, compiled by the Sex Education Forum, is to ensure all schools’ SRE policies are up to speed.
A school is refusing to allow a girl who wears the full-face veil to study in its sixth-form, reports the Times. Camden School for Girls has taught the 16-year-old pupil for five years, but she decided to adopt the niqab, which covers her hair and face, on returning to start her A levels this September. The school, in north London, which is rated outstanding, has barred the teenager from studying at the school if she continues to cover her face.
