On Tuesday ParentsOutloud met with the School Chief Adjudicator to discuss the difficult issue of school places. Here is Dr Ian Craig’s response and invitation to say what you think needs to be done so I hope lots of you will respond. All responses will be read by Dr Craig.

Children should be allowed to play in the dirt because being too clean can impair the skin’s ability to heal itself, new research suggests.
By Murray Wardrop Telegraph
Scientists have discovered that bacteria on the surface of the skin play an important role in combating inflammation when we get hurt. The bugs dampen down overactive immune responses, which can lead to rashes or cause cuts and bruises to become swollen and painful. The findings support previous research which suggests that exposure to germs during early childhood can prime the immune …

Sunday November 22,2009
By Hilary Douglas
Ed Balls admits that the Schools Bill could mean ‘increased costs’ for teachers
Sweeping education reforms could leave schools facing legal action running into hundreds of millions of pounds, Ed Balls admitted last night.
The Schools Bill guarantees children the legal right to a good education – but teachers fear it will allow pushy parents to blame them if youngsters fail to achieve the standards they expect. A set of guarantees written into the bill includes the promise that every child will go to a …

Posted By Lee Ingram. I had a problem with my child being bullied at Infant school and the teachers told me that the children don’t know what bullying is at that age.

Posted By: Sue Gerrard. I’d like to draw your attention to proposals for changes in legislation

Tim Ross London Evening Standard
Children must never be allowed to go paddling on school trips unless teachers have conducted a thorough risk assessment first, the Government said today. Ministers published new guidelines to encourage more schools to take pupils out for walks, activities and fieldwork. But the document urged teachers to resist when children ask to dip their toes in the sea on a hot day. Schools minister Diana Johnson published the 58-page guidance amid concern that health and safety fears were stopping teachers taking trips. Unions have …

Polly Curtis
The Guardian, Saturday 31 October 2009
Parents who cheat to get a place at the best state schools will face fines and court orders under hardline proposals to be set out by a major inquiry on Monday.
At the moment, parents who lie only risk forfeiting the school place. The inquiry, by the chief schools adjudicator, will say the penalty should be toughened up, a source with links to the review said. Sanctions could include a court summons, a fine or an order to undertake unpaid work. It follows an unsuccessful …

Cambridge Primary Review : http://www.primaryreview.org.uk
Having work for over 25 years with children, for children following their time in education and suffering with them their parents and teachers the work of politicians in their name this morning I am going to revert to childhood and say to politicians “I told you so”. The review presented by Robin Alexander, and his team of researchers, will no doubt gladden the heart of thousands of parents as it does mine. Sadly Government have and will choose to ignore all the work they …

In Today’s Papers
Ofsted has “lost the plot” by telling two police officers they broke the law by caring for each other’s children, it was claimed today. Margaret Morrissey, of the parents’ pressure group, ParentsOutloud, said: “If we have reached the point in our society when we cannot trust our very close friends to look after each other’s children, I think it is time to give up and go and live in another country.”

Mirror Jason Beattie 30/09/2009
Tax breaks on childcare will be scrapped to fund free nursery places for youngsters from hard-up families.Around 250,000 children from “low and modest income” homes will be lookedafter for 10 hours every week. The childcare vouchers scheme will be phased out to fund the places.At the moment parents can pay part of their salary straight to childminders or nurseries and not pay tax on the cash.Lower-rate taxpayers can save up to £962 a year and mums and dads paying the top rate up to £1,195 …