Nottinghamshire teacher banned after vagina comment – BBC News

‘A newly-qualified teacher who admitted making a “stupid comment” about a pupil’s vagina has been banned from the profession.’

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BBC News, 6th March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Council to review decision on admission of summer-born child after criticism from LGO – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 19th, 2020 in children, delay, education, families, local government, news, ombudsmen, school children by sally

‘Warwickshire County Council has said it will review its decisions in two cases in which it denied parents’ requests for deferred summer-born children to start school in reception class rather than year one after receiving criticism from the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th February 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Equalities watchdog launches inquiry into use of restraint in schools – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched a formal inquiry into how schools are monitoring and recording their use of restraint, “following widespread concerns about its use and the lack of data available”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th February 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Compulsory religious education ‘may breach human rights’ – BBC News

Posted February 10th, 2020 in education, human rights, news, religious discrimination, school children, Wales by sally

‘Making all pupils take part in religious education classes could see the Welsh Government taken to court for breaching human rights, a legal expert has warned.’

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BBC News, 8th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Pickets, prayers and protests: using anti-social behaviour legislation to curb protest – UK Police Law Blog

‘Two recent cases have required the High Court and Court of Appeal to consider in detail the use by local authorities of different powers contained in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (“ASBCPA”) to limit or prevent protests that have contained a strong religious or moral element. To what extent are the courts prepared to sanction the use of these powers in relation to types of activities that perhaps would not immediately spring to mind when the words “anti-social behaviour” are heard? The answer, in two words, is “very prepared”, judging by the decisions in the cases of Dulgerhiu v London Borough of Ealing [2019] EWCA Civ 1490 and Birmingham City Council v Asfar [2019] EWHC 3217 (QB).’

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UK Police Law Blog, 27th January 2020

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

Welsh parents lose opt-out for sex, relationship and religious education – The Guardian

Posted January 22nd, 2020 in children, consultations, education, families, news, parental rights, school children, Wales by sally

‘Parents in Wales will soon lose the right to withdraw their children from lessons on sex and relationships or religion, provoking concern among both church groups and secular campaigners.’

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The Guardian, 21st January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ombudsman reminds councils of their foster carer school transport duties – Local Government Lawyer

‘Councils across England are being reminded about the financial support they must provide to foster carers’ school transport expenses following an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman into Wolverhampton council.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th January 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Remedies in First-tier Tribunal discrimination claims – Local Government Lawyer

‘A recent Upper Tribunal decision has potentially far-reaching implications for schools considering excluding pupils with disabilities, write Tom Amraoui and Rachel Sullivan.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 10th January 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Education Newsletter – 39 Essex Chambers

‘The Winter edition of 39 Essex Chambers’ Education Newsletter is now available.’

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39 Essex Chambers, November 2019

Source: www.39essex.com

Man jailed for four-year bomb hoax campaign in UK, US and Canada – The Independent

‘A man who carried out a campaign of bomb hoaxes against targets in the US, Canada and the UK has been jailed for more than four years.’

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The Independent, 3rd December 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Education, street protests and injunctions: Afsar – Law & Religion UK

‘Birmingham City Council v Afsar & Ors [2019] EWHC 3217 (QB) was a claim by the Council for injunctions to restrict street protests about Anderton Park Infant and Junior School and to prohibit online abuse of teachers at that school.’

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Law & Religion UK, 2nd December 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Birmingham anti-LGBT school protesters had ‘misinterpreted’ teachings, judge says – The Guardian

Posted November 27th, 2019 in demonstrations, equality, homosexuality, injunctions, Islam, news, school children by sally

‘A high court judge has said activists protesting against LGBT equality lessons had “grossly misrepresented” what was being taught to children as he ruled that they would be permanently banned from demonstrating directly outside a Birmingham primary school.’

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The Guardian, 26th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Burford school agrees to provide alternative to Christian assembly – BBC News

‘A couple who threatened to take a school to the High Court over its religious assemblies have won their fight for alternative activities for their children.’

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BBC News, 20th November 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tommy Robinson appears in High Court over ‘very serious allegations’ about Syrian child bullied in viral video – The Independent

‘Tommy Robinson has appeared at the High Court over his comments about a Syrian refugee boy who was filmed being attacked at his school in Huddersfield.’

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The Independent, 15th November 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Department for Education flouted rules when it secretly shared pupil data with Home Office, says watchdog – The Independent

Posted November 14th, 2019 in data protection, government departments, immigration, news, school children by sally

‘The Department for Education (DfE) flouted data protection obligations when it shared information about children with the Home Office for immigration enforcement purposes, a watchdog had said.’

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The Independent, 14th November 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Call for reform of pupil exclusions ‘as schools unaware of legal duties’ – The Guardian

The law reform group Justice has called for a radical overhaul of exclusions amid concerns that too many schools do not fully understand their legal duties and that the appeal process available to parents wishing to challenge an exclusion is inadequate.

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The Guardian, 11th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Parents take legal action over pupils labelled as truants – The Guardian

Posted November 4th, 2019 in fines, mental health, news, prosecutions, school children, truancy by sally

‘Families with children who are labelled “school refusers” are planning to take legal action against the government to challenge rules on truancy that allow them to be fined and prosecuted.’

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The Guardian, 3rd November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

MoJ data suggests 95% of SEN tribunal cases lost, withdrawn or conceded by local authorities, claims charity – Local Government Lawyer

‘Some 95% of decisions at special educational needs tribunals in 2017/18 were either won by parents, or saw local authorities withdraw or concede, it has been claimed.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th October 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

AQA could face class action suit from parents of children who were possibly given ‘incorrect’ grades – Daily Telegraph

‘The UK’s biggest exam board could face class action from parents, following revelations that answers were being “remarked” by the same examiners.’

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Daily Telegraph, 16th October 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court bid to stop LGBT lesson protests at Birmingham school starts – The Guardian

‘City council asks high court for permanent exclusion zone around Anderton Park primary.’

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The Guardian, 14th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com