Sats tests have been criticised by teaching unions in recent weeks, culminating in a decision by headteachers to proceed with a boycott of exams in 2010. I am attempting to find parents who may be acting early by withdrawing their children from Sats being taken in schools across England this month. If you intend to keep your child off school on the day of the tests please contact Graeme Paton at The Daily Telegraph by emailing: graeme.paton@telegraph.co.uk.

Should grandparents be paid for caring for grandchildren ? Who should pay and how? Will it change the family relationships?
What are your views on this ?

Geraldine Nicholson
Chair, No Third Runway Action Group (NoTRAG)

To build a third runway at Heathrow airport the No Third Runway Action
Group say:
“Schools will be bulldozed or rendered useless, removing parental choice, dislocating children’s lives, disrupting their friendships, and having a detrimental effect on their education. Apart from the 80+ schools in the London Borough of Hounslow that would suffer the disruption of continuous noise throughout every school day, seven schools in the London Borough of Hillingdon would be severely affected. You cannot soundproof playgrounds and you cannot expect our children to …

Looking for mums and dads to inspire others to overcome difficulties at school
Has your child been bullied at school? Has your child got problems with truancy or been excluded? Have you had problems with the school admissions system? Did you hate school and are you worried about how to support your child through their school years? Has your child had mental health problems?

Lots of parents go through issues like these and we’re looking for people to share their stories of how they overcame them. If you are a mum or …

I have always supported teachers and admire the work they do. Anyone who has spent time in a classroom understands teachers earn every penny they get and more, so can I put that one to bed. I have learnt a lot today by the number of comments placed on this Blog, some by those who admit to being teachers, have been rude , personal and offensive. I would not dream of writing about a person I did not know in such a manner. You have every right to …

Thank you for all your comments. Let me take this chance to help clarify what I said. I have not criticised teachers just the opposite until today I have spent the last 30 years…

Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer, has been charged with drawing up the new guidelines which are expected to be ready for publication in the spring, according to reports. The Government is also reviewing whether the current age at which it is legal to drink should remain at five. Current guidance on safe drinking levels exists only for those over 18. But health department officials say the gap between five and 18 is significant given the risks of drinking to health and development children are greater for children than for …

The BBC is planning to show a “gory” version of Hansel and Gretel on Christmas Day that shows dummies of dead children hanging by ropes. The Royal Opera House production, which it has described as “perfect family fare for everyone at holiday time” will be aired at 3pm on BBC2. Children’s campaigners have criticised the BBC’s decision to broadcast it at a time when young children will be watching.Even the Royal Opera House has recommended that children younger than eight should not see the two-hour show, which culminates in a …

The report focuses on a new regime introduced in 2005. The new short, sharp Ofsted inspections present a “superficial snapshot” of England’s schools and rely too much on test and exam results, a report claims. The report by the think tank Civitas says poorly trained inspectors take a “tick-box” approach to gauging quality. Civitas says Ofsted reports – used by many parents to judge schools – do not give a “well-rounded picture”. Ofsted denies relying on test results, and says it considers other evidence, including the observation of …

Why are we as a nation so obsessed with homework, we send our children to school at an earlier age than any other country and our school day is longer, we have shorter holidays and our children have more homework than other country. The results of all this are we getting better educated children, no, higher result than others, no.
I would never suggest we should not help our children at home, help them to read and write and if they ask help with maths or what ever subject they …