Daily roundup: School standards, safeguarding, and outdoor play

Department for Education officials have warned ministers that further legislation may be required to enable ministers to intervene in failing free schools and academies. A leaked paper – reported by the Observer – reveals that DfE officials had warned the "political ramifications of any more free schools being judged inadequate are very high and speedy intervention is essential". The Education Secretary, Michael Gove, argues that free schools and academies benefit from freedom of oversight from local authorities, but the document suggests officials think more regulation is needed.

Railway Children is to call for greater awareness of vulnerable children who use travel hubs in major cities. Andy McCullough, UK head of policy at Railway Children, is to tell the transport select committee’s inquiry on security on the railways that too often children are invisible or seen as troublesome at railway or bus stations and in city centres. But he will tell the committee that many have run away, be vulnerable to exploitation and be in need of help. 

Around half of parents surveyed by Mothercare said they do not let their children play outside because of concerns about their safety, while 60 per cent said there is now more for them to do indoors – such as watch television and play computer games. The study of 1,000 parents, reported in the Telegraph, revealed 90 per cent had never made a tree house with their children and 37 per cent had never taken their family looking for wildlife. The majority admitted their children did not play outside as much as they had during their own childhood, with 26 per cent saying they spend less than 30 minutes a week playing outdoors.

Medway Council has today launched a Social Work Academy that will attract, recruit, develop and retain staff in adult and children social care in the area. The academy will have several faculties including a student unit that will take up to 50 students each year. Graduates will be mentored through every stage of their training and career, the council says.?

Social workers in Haringey are failing to assess vulnerable children quickly enough, a report has revealed. Documents show that 74 per cent of children and their families were being assessed within Haringey council’s 45-day time limit. However, the council, which introduced many changes following the death of Baby Peter Connelly in 2007, has a target of 85 per cent of assessments, the Standard reports.

And finally, shopping boosts infants’ happiness levels and everyday cognitive development, according to new research. A study by academics from Oxford and The Open University has found that there was evidence of a “positive” link between shopping and the physical skills that children need to master in the early years. The study, which will be presented to the Royal Economic Society’s annual conference this week, found that more passive activities such as watching television and looking through picture books had “no discernible benefits”, the Telegraph reports.