Ofsted boost for thriving academy schools programme

By Mithran Samuel, Maria Ahmed, Derren Hayes and Amy Taylor

Ofsted boost for thriving academy schools programme
The government claimed that its controversial academies programme had passed a “tipping point” in proving its value yesterday following a good Ofsted report on a former failing school and increasing numbers of councils signing up.
The report described Mossbourne community academy as “outstanding”, despite its predecessor Hackney Downs being dubbed a failing school.
Source:- The Guardian Friday 13 October 2006 page 14

£20 benefit boost
Single mothers with children at secondary school will get £20 a week on top of existing benefits if they agree to step £20 a week on top of existing benefits if they agree to step up their efforts to find a job.
Source:- The Times, Friday 13 October 2006, page 2
 
Reid drops ‘confusing’ drug crime thresholds
John Reid is dropping plans to set levels for the quantities of drugs a person can carry before being charged with possession with intent to supply.
Source:- The Times, Friday 13 October 2006, page 8
 
Sex trafficking up
Four thousand women are working as prostitutes after being smuggled into the UK, according to a report by the joint Lords and Commons Human Rights Committee.
Source:- The Times, Friday 13 October 2006, page 9

Scottish news

40 tagged prisoners recalled
After just three months, 11% of criminals released early from prison in Scotland under a tagging scheme have been recalled, new figures show.
Under the Scottish executive’s controversial early release scheme, 357 offenders have been released.
But of these 40 have been sent back to prison for either further offending or breaking the conditions of their tagging order.
Source: The Herald, Friday 13 October

Care home bully has ruined my gran’s life
Help the Aged Scotland have slammed a Sheriff’s decision not to jail a care home worker who picked on vulnerable residents.
Ken Bowie was found guilty last month of bullying residents when he worked at the Barleystone Nursing Home in Falkirk from March to May 2005. He pushed them, pulled their hair and used obscene and aggressive language to dementia patients.
At Falkirk Sheriff Court he was ordered to carry out 80 hours of community service.
Source: The Record, Friday 13 October

Welsh news

Murder-case baby ‘had bite mark on face’
A neighbour told a court that a baby “looked like the Elephant Man” and had a bite mark on his face shortly before he died yesterday.
Rebecca Thrussell said that 13-month-old Aaron Gilbert had a series of injuries over the days leading up to his death.
Aaron’s mother Rebecca Lewis, of Townhill Swansea, is charged with familial homicide for allowing Aaron’s death and her partners Andrew Lloyd, 23, also from Townhill is charged with his murder.
Source:- Western Mail, Friday, 13 October 2006

Care worker redundancy plan ‘could cost millions’
Plans to issue up to 200 care workers with redundancy could result in a massive bill for Cardiff Council.
Due to most of the workers affected being women they could be entitled to back pay for six years under equal pay legislation due to men doing jobs of an equivalent grading being paid more over the years.
The council is currently working out a package to deal with the accepted underpayment of women employees but the workers would be made redundant before the completion of this and could take the council to an Employment Tribunal potentially resulting in the hefty bill.
Source:- Western Mail, Friday, 13 October 2006