7 September:   Ofsted reports show Sure Start is helping the most vulnerable   The analysis by 4Children showed that 57% of centres are receiving higly positive feedback.

7 September:   Children experiencing fewer outdoor pastimes   The pupil premium is hoped to help tackle the findings by the Every Child Outdoors report.

7 September:   Benefit cuts likely to force more children below poverty line   Research commissioned by Shelter has found that around 54,000 children will live in homes with less than £100 per week for food and utility bills.

6 September:   First sixteen free schools announced   They are expected to open at the start of the next school year in September 2011.

3 September:   School libraries face bleak outlook   Kent County Council has axed its school library service, calling into question the future for others around the UK.

2 September:   Poorly performing primary schools to become academies   Education secretary Michael Gove  also said that schools with less than 30 per cent of pupils achieving five good GCSEs were at risk of being closed down.

1 September:   32 schools reopen as academies   A further 110 will be converted into academies during the school year.

1 September:   New ATL president urges schools to work together   Andy Brown, the new head of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said that the push for school partnerships in Northern Ireland has been beneficial for all.

1 September:   Charity Commission considers an end to investigating every fraud claim   Concerns have been raised that the move could damage the charity sector's reputation.

31 August:   Research finds volunteer managers undervalued   A report by the Institute for Volunteering Research has found that nearly half of people who manage volunteers are not given proper training.

31 August:   Big Lottery Fund funds social investment initiative   Using £11.25 million, the Social Impact Bond will be used as a tool for preventing social problems across the UK.

30 August:   Proposals to change teacher hours considered in Scotland   Glasgow City Council wants the city's teachers to work an extra 30 minutes per day but any change would have to be nationwide.

29 August:   Parents increasingly unable to afford after-school activites   A poll by Save the Children has shown the number of children missing out on the benefits of extra activities is increasing, particularly amongst poorer families.

27 August:   School closure powers being reconsidered in Wales   Education Minister Leighton Andrews wants to accelerate the process due to legal technicalities which have resulted in some rural schools staying open despite having no pupils.

27 August:   Community events made easier to organise   The new simplified system is hoped to encourage communities to come together more.

27 August:   Fears of closure for early intervention scheme   The Positive Activities for Young People scheme which helps young people at risk of becoming NEETs is a likely candidate for the government's spending reductions.

26 August:   Deputy prime minister emphasises government's commitment to fairness   Nick Clegg reassured that new work programmes and the pupil premium will make Britain a fairer society.

25 August:   Brent council to guide others on Early Years Single Funding Formula   The London-based council implemented the EYSFF early, so will now help other councils in advance of the April 2011 deadline.

25 August:   Poorest households to take brunt of government cuts   A study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies has put the effects down to the new government's decision to link benefits with a different index to the one traditionally used.

25 August:   Nursery group secures £6.5 million   Caring Daycare will be able to expand thanks to their new partner, Barclays.

24 August:   GCSE gap widens between Wales and rest of UK   The Welsh exam board WJEC noted that pass rates have actually improved and the perceived gap is skewed due to results from independent schools outside of Wales.

24 August:   Thurrock Council protects grants for voluntary organistations   Naya Naqvi, CEO of Thurrock Council for Voluntary Service, says it was early planning and consultation that helped the council decide it would be a beneficial move.

20 August:  Pupil premium: announcment in October   The government's proposed pupil premium, tipped in May to be a 'significant amount' will target between 15 and 26 per cent of the country's poorest pupils, Nick Clegg said this week.

18 August:   Top police officer praises quality childcare   Sir Paul Stephenson, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, said that schemes such as Sure Start were important and needed to be available.

18 August:   Government to focus on children from deprived backgrounds   The coalition hopes that renewed efforts with a more rounded approach will help increase social mobility.

18 August:   Mentoring improves children's mental health   A recent study of maltreated children placed in care found that those who were mentored had significantly less mental health problems.

18 August:   Fall in number of young people not in education, employment or training   The DfE hopes commitments to expanding apprenticeships will lower this number further.

17 August:   Anti-bullying charity threatened by lack of funding   Bullying UK, which helps thousands of children and parents, needs to raise £50,000 by 1 September to avoid closure.

17 August:   Red tape to be reduced for charities and community organisations   The government has launched the Big Society Deregulation Taskforce in keeping with Tory election pledges.

17 August:   Local authorities often unable to track children not in education   Osted warned that such children were liable to fail academically and were vulnerable to harm.

17 August:   Call for internships for care leavers   The National Care Advisory Service is backing a suggestion by think tank Demos to overcome a lack of the opportunities taken for granted by peers that have not been in care.

16 August:   Almost a third of pupils in England regularly skip breakfast   The study of 4,326 10 to 16 year olds found more obesity and lower physical activity amongst skippers.

16 August:   Cuts may damage longstanding community projects   Despite government requests for a 'big society', voluntary groups in London say they are likely to struggle more.

16 August:   National insurance policy to cover public events   The move is likely to mean voluntary groups can save thousands of pounds when putting on events.

16 August:   Over 100 children per week call helpline about parents' substance abuse   The NSPCC service Childline said that those who call represent only a small number of those affected.

14 August:   Businesses and charities prepare for chance to run free schools   Around 60 groups have applied to start their own, while many more plan to assist in their management.

13 August:   Stong partnerships are key to outstanding children's services   An Ofsted study also identified consistency, robust performance management and a strong emphasis on early intervention as characteristic of top performers.

12 August:   NCVYS launches Big Society Blueprint Programme   The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services is looking for six community-based organisations to take part and develop a model which will be presented to the government.

12 August:   Free database of volunteering research launched   The Institute of Volunteering Research hopes its Evidence Bank will aid other organisations as volunteering expands.

11 August:  Health visitors: Return to Practice programmes   NHS London has funding to pay for 30 former health visitors to boost their training and return to work. Support for young mothers from health visitors was a key Conservative Party election pledge.

11 August:   Plans for over 1,000 playgrounds to be frozen   The government has said that inherited unrealistic spending commitments are to blame.

11 August:   Charities told to expect longer contracts and payment by results   The Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd also said that his office was developing a central website of grants and funding opportunities.

11 August:   Wales leading the way in school-based counselling   One teacher described it as "one of the most valuable support services available to pupils”.

11 August:   Volunteering popular amongst young people   The Listen Up! report conducted by the Jack Petchey Foundation polled 6,000 young people and found 75 percent regularly volunteered.

10 August:   Complaints over deposits for free childcare   The actions of some nurseries goes against the legal duty to provide care free at the point of delivery.

10 August:   Government changes language pertaining to children   A DfE spokesman says the new terminology does not change their commitment to children's services.

10 August:   Cuts to small charities likely to shrink Big Society   Smaller organisations that recruit thousands of volunteers are struggling to keep themselves afloat.

10 August:   Campaign launched to raise awareness of youth services   For Youth's Sake aims to let people know about essential prevention and early intervention services that help to turn around young lives and save taxpayers money.

8 August:   Can pupil premium be funded from outside the schools budget?   Deficit reduction flashpoints: welfare, schools and defence.

8 August:   250 new schools required to meet demand for places   One of the reasons for the increased demand is believed to be the rise in children being taken out of private education.

6 August:   77 schools given go ahead for rebuilding plans   Michael Gove said that 33 were too advanced into the BSF programme to cancel, while 44 were academy projects.

6 August:   ContactPoint switched off   The information contained within the child protection database will be destroyed within two months.

6 August:   Fraudsters take over £500 million through fake grant applications   Ten funders were duped by the group including the Home Office and Barnardo's.

5 August:   Majority of young people feel unsafe on public transport   The results of the NCB and BYC survey has prompted calls for transport providers to consult with young people.

5 August:   Sandwell council ask Secretary of Education to reconsider BSF decision   The council had already spent £2 million on drawing up plans for new school buildings.

4 August:   Premier League considers starting free schools   The football institution hope the move could increase training for young hopefuls to 20 hours per week.

3 August:   Reading standards of 11-year-olds slip, Sats figures show   Sixteen per cent of primary school leavers fail to reach expected reading levels; but for the first time in six years, English and Maths standards rise and the same proportion of boys as girls reached the standards expected in maths ie 80 per cent.

2 August:   Government launches EYFS review call for evidence   Contributions can be made up until 30 September 2010.

30 July:   School IT budgets cut   Funds have been redistributed to pay for free schools.

29 July:   Schools struggle to fund extended services says new government report   The government report, written just before the Coalition government took office but released now, points out that few parents feel they know much about extended sercies. Alison Ryan education policy adviser at Association of Teachers and Lecturers says the report makes it clear there is a demand for extended services. 'However, those who most need [them] are often hard to reach. The coalition government’s budget cuts will hit the poorest in our society, so it’s vital that those planning extended services find more effective strategies to reach these families.' Ryan also calls for a stable funding regime to ensure consistent and sustainable provison across the country.

29 July:   Think tank Demos renews calls for schools to stop excluding badly behaved pupils   Their call comes as statistics reveal a fall in numbers of pupil exclusions.

29 July:   Youth Community Action programme is cut   But the government wants organisations that have been involved in youth volunteering programmes so far to help make the National Citizen Service a success.

29 July:   153 top schools in England apply to become academies   Schools want more control of their finances, the curriculum and teachers’ pay and conditions. The government hopes that dozens of schools will convert in September.

29 July:   Government asks voluntary sector for advice on cost-effectiveness   The deadline for reponses is 20 August 2010.

28 July:   MP Graham Allen to chair independent review of early intervention   The government wants the review to look at ways of addressing the social and emotional needs of children in the poorest communities.

28 July:   Life beyond Asbos   Theresa May calls for common sense to replace the use of Asbos

28 July:   Northern Ireland: Four Irish-medium schools have funding approved    schools approved despite empty places. Minister Caitriona Ruane draws criticism despite claiming that the new schools reflect the demand from parents for education in Irish.

28 July:   Schools will get cash for buildings    Michael Gove explains to the cross-party Education Select Committee that cash will be made more directly available for future building development.

28 July:   Mr Gove open to atheist-run schools   Professor Richard Dawkins says he likes the idea of a ‘free-thinking school’ but would not want to indoctrinate children in atheism.

28 July:   Hampshire children's services to lose 185 staff   The county council is slashing almost £25 million from their budget.

27 July:   Academy duty ommissions   Academies will have no duty relating to children in care and pupil well-being according to the draft academy funding ageement. Neither will they need to take into account local authorities' children and young people's plans or local 14 to 19 partnerships.

27 July:   CYPNow launches a campaign to support youth services   Youth services have been hit hard by funding cuts. The 'For Youth's Sake' campaign will champion their role to encourage decision-makers and communities to support youth projects.

27 July:   Changes to benefits likely to affect most vulnerable   Family Action warns that capping housing benefits will leave vulnerable families, particularly those where a parent has mental health problems, at risk of eviction.

26 July:  MPs approve Academies Bill   The Bill will receive Royal Assent on Tuesday

26 July:   Independent schools criticised over bursaries   A study has suggested schools with higher incomes give proportionally less for poorer pupils' places than schools with lower incomes.

23 July:   A quarter of schools don't offer good PSHE   Also read the new Ofsted report: Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education in Schools, 23 July 2010.

23 July:   High pupil achievement linked to collective school leadership   A US study has found that the most effective schools tend to include educators, parents and other groups in school decisions.

23 July:   One in eight British teenage girls has been pregnant   Ofsted has said some children receive poor sex education because their teachers find the topic embarrassing.

23 July:   'Forest fire' of education cuts predicted   The chairman of the CWDC believes the solution is to try and broaden the children's services that are being delivered through schools.

22 July:   Schools to be allowed to part from children's trusts   The new opt out option will be part of the forthcoming Education Bill.

22 July:   Literacy Unit may close   People who lack literacy skills will be made even more vulnerable if a London university closes the country's largest centre for adult literacy and numeracy, the London Language and Literacy Unit (LLU+) based at South Bank university. The centre trains teachers to teach basic literacy and numeracy to adults and to help them overcome dyslexic difficulties.

22 July:   John Hayes now responsible for apprenticeships   His brief also includes careers education

22 July:   National Citizen Service invites applications   The applications for the volunteering programme for young people is open to charities, businesses and voluntary groups.

21 July:   Free schools increase racial and social segregation   Research by Dr Susan Wiborg of the Institute of Education (part of the University of London) shows that free schools in Sweden have increased segregation; also, though free schools improved results at age 15 and 16, results showed no difference at the Swedish equivalent of A-level. Wiborg warns that free schools will lead to a 'significant increase in public spending'.

21 July:   10,000 young people to be key part of Big Society   Prime Minister Cameron will soon reveal the government's plans for a national citizen service, which aims to get 16-year-olds to work in the community.

21 July:   School buildings deemed unsuitable   Lack of space and 'exciting, flexible and appropriately sized classrooms for students' cited as problems.

20 July:  Michael Gove decides the Young People's Learning Agency is too bureaucratic   The duty on councils to work together in regional and sub-regional groups to organise education provision for young people will be removed. Local authorities will be able to co-operate when necessary.

19 July:   David Cameron launches the 'Big Society'

19 July:   Pupils, councillors and teachers have rallied to protest school building cuts   The Save Our Schools lobby urged ministers to reconsider the halting of 735 school projects.

18 July:   Plans to fast-track academy legislation   MPs started debating the legislation on Monday; it could be law by next week. But (19 July) Michael Gove claims that it is not being rushed.

16 July:   Concern over rushing of Academies Bill   MPs will have only 30 minutes to table amendments after the bill's second reading instead of the usual days or weeks.

15 July:   Poorest white British children fall behind ethnic minority groups at school   Is this a 'national trend'? Also, view this Newsnight programme (October 2009)

15 July:   PM to discuss changing VAT for charities   David Cameron has said that he wants to talk to the Treasury about 'funding them on the same basis the government funds itself'.

14 July:   Wales moves to enshrine child rights in law   The Rights of Children and Young People Measure will mean ministers will have to consider the rights of the young when making strategic decisions.

14 July:   £144.8 million for new capital projects for schools in Wales   The news coincides with a report that Welsh schools are in much need of refurbishment.

14 July:   Holiday childcare is a struggle to find   A survey by The Daycare Trust has found many parents can't get affordable care for their children for the summer holidays.

14 July:   Union tells schools they will struggle if they become academies   The AABA has said schools will not be able to cope with the extra burden of responsibility in management.

13 July:   Many new play areas not fit for disabled children   Despite a requirement that they be inclusive and accessible to all, many creators of play spaces have not understood the breadth of individual needs.

13 July:   ADCS suggests all schools become academies   The Association of Directors of Children's Services believes this would prevent creation of a two-tiered system.

13 July:   Extra funding for Teach First   The boost means the organisation will be able to prepare more top graduate teachers to go to deprived areas.

13 July:   Calls for Queen's Speech commitment on child detention to be followed through   The Immigration Law Practitioners' Association has called for ministers to fulfil their promise of immediately ending the detention of child asylum-seekers.

13 July:   Campaign launched to preserve Connexions   After reports that the career advice for young people was to face heavy cuts, the trade union Unison has urged for lobbying to save it.

13 July:   Loughton seeks end to council 'monopoly' on commissioning and delivering youth services   Chyps chair Sue Payne has urged the junior children's minister to speak to heads of services and provide more details about how partnerships would work in practice.

13 July:   Greenwich children engage with play spaces creatively   The Engaging Places initiative which partners schools with cultural learning providers encouraged children to observe different areas and apply what they had learned to their school

10 July:   New network of teacher training hubs launched   The Leadership and Innovation Academy will operate via 17 hub schools to provide national, regional and local training and support for teachers and school leaders across England.

10 July:   Schools awarded for innovative special needs work   Three schools were awarded bursaries by the Henry Winkler Teaching Awards for Special Needs.

9 July:   Criticism for plan to share two headteachers between seven schools   The Isle of Arran council has said its plan is preferable to shutting some of the schools down.

9 July:   Buckinghamshire to slash free childcare provision   The council is hoping other providers in the area can step in for up to 400 lost places.

8 July:   4,200 extra health visitors for children's centres   The children's minister Sarah Teather hopes the new staffing will help increase focus on the disadvantaged.

8 July:   Government publishes list of school building projects to be scrapped   Despite some hiccups, the list is reportedly now finalised.

8 July:   Teaching unions plan to lobby parliament over BSF   Unions are urging schools and parents to voice their opinions over changes to the Building Schools for the Future scheme on 19 July.

8 July:   Michael Gove gives speech to the Local Government Association   Read the speech in full here.

8 July:   320,980 extra pupils eat healthy lunches   The total is the culmination between a rise found in primary schools and a drop amongst secondary schools.

7 July:   Change4Life to be scaled back   The government hopes the business sector will provide financial backing as the health campaign's budget is reduced.

7 July:   St Albans school to create sensory room for community   The room will provide stimuli for young people with autism, hearing impairments and other disorders.

6 July:   Report urges councils to target vulnerable teens   The Audit Commission report gives strategies on understanding and targeting needs to help get young people into employment or training.

6 July:   No new commissioning framework for youth sector programmes   Despite being in development since 2008, implementing the framework was deemed cost-inefficient.

6 July:   Social care professionals told to embrace partnerships   Lord Laming told delegates at a Westminster Education Forum seminar on child protection that children's services agencies must improve joint-working practices before demanding more cash.

6 July:   School policy paper due in autumn   The white paper will expound on the role of councils and children's services in the newly overhauled education system.

6 July:   Shadow education secretary warns academies plan will hold back poorest   Concerns are high over whether academies will be obligated to support pupils with special educational needs and those on free school meals.

6 July:   Early Years Foundation Stage to undergo review   The EYFS review will be led by the CEO of Action for Children, Dame Clare Tickell.

6 July:   Councils look for alternatives to Connexions   Members of the careers advice service are hoping young people can avoid losing their expertise despite looming large cuts.

5 July:   New report argues Ofsted remit is too wide   The report from the National Education Trust and Association of School and College Leaders says that Ofsted should drop its grading of social care in schools.

2 July:   New £200 million fund for community groups   The Big Lottery Fund's Big Local will target overlooked groups and those that involve local residents in decision-making.

1 July:   Twenty charities begin Olympics-themed volunteering initiative   My Games aims to create 10,000 volunteering posts for young people.

30 June:   New safeguarding review calls for evidence   Children's services professionals have until the end of July to contribute.

30 June:   Think tank warns funding contracts may scupper Big Society   IPPR believes the drive for efficiencies means larger contracts that are harder for community groups to win.

30 June:   Partnerships and digital leaders way forward for schools   The Partnering in Education conference last week urged that working in isolation was untenable, even at the highest level, and 'reverse mentoring' helps achieve this.

29 June:   Ofsted recommends focused local safeguarding boards   The organisation has released advice after a series of unannounced inspections.

29 June:   Fears over health visitors replacing Sure Start staff   Tim Loughton denied suspicions despite early proposals in the Conservative manifesto outlining the idea.

29 June:   New tool for children's centres to engage with childminders   The National Childminding Association's tool highlights how best to involve registered childminders in providing childcare services.

29 June:   Regional growth fund to help communities at risk from cuts   Both public and private bodies will be able to bid for part of the £1 billion fund.

29 June:   School opens community garden   The Reed School in Hertfordshire is designed for everybody, from toddlers to the elderly.

28 June:   English schools to compete in £10 million 'Olympics'   Schools will be encouraged to take part in the Sport England project which will have regional run-offs and national finals.

25 June:   Evidence for Family Intervention Projects found to be lacking   A review of the last decade has found claims of FIP successes to have been exaggerated. Three reviews are still ongoing at NatCen.

25 June:   DfE reveals 1,639 schools have applied for academy status   The figure comes to approximately seven per cent of schools in England.

25 June:   Two boroughs plan to merge education departments   In the first deal of its kind, Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham hope combining will lead to 20 per cent savings over three years.

25 June:   Ofsted report finds healthy meals often unachievable for poor   'Unhealthy packed lunches did not necessarily reflect parents' lack of commitment or cooperation but, rather, a complex set of local circumstances.'

25 June:   Teaching unions creep towards strike action   Several unions have responded negatively to how the new budget affects their members.

25 June:   Academies accused of using vocational courses to boost league figures   Due to their flexibility over course choices, concerns are growing of a veer towards 'soft options'.

25 June:   National employment and training pilots for vulnerable to be cut   Eight Activity Agreement pilots and four Entry to Learning pilots due to run until March 2011 will now end in December.

24 June:   Governors complain about minimal information on academy switching   The National Governors Association has warned members to be cautious about opting out of local government control because decisions are likely to be uninformed.

24 June:   England prepares for 25 per cent cut in education spending   The government has said "tough decisions" are ahead.

23 June:   Majority of parents satisfied with their children's schools   A review by Research and Information in State Education also found most of parents polled thought their children were making progress.

23 June:   Nursey owner challenges PM on pre-election pledges   Patricia Banks received a letter in April from the Conservatives about a supplementary fee policy but has yet to see this come to fruition.

22 June:   Health professionals concerned over dropping of free school meals extension   A group has written to Michael Gove describing how the cut plans would have lifted 50,000 children out of poverty.

22 June:   Health watchdog suggests changes that could save thousands of lives   The report by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence has been branded by the government as 'not practical'.

22 June:   Budget announced   The key points listed in bullet points.

21 June:   Charities, unions and business leaders attack new budget   Chancellor George Osbourne described his plans as "unavoidable".

21 June:   US initiative to extend school day for disadvantaged urban students   The Wallace Foundation hopes the programme will be a leading example for other schools.

18 June:   Government details how groups can apply to run free schools   The New Schools Network has also been given £500,000 to help support applying groups.

18 June:   Gove reveals further cuts to education   Reductions include £25 million in extended services capital funding.

18 June:   David Miliband calls for end to taxpayer subsidy of private schools   By Patrick Wintour, on guardian.co.uk

18 June:   Dance away your blues   Skills Minister John Hayes says going to an evening dance class could lift our recessionk-bludgeoned spirits

18 June:   Education secretary wants free schools to exercise imaginative use of small spaces   Planning laws to be changed to allow free schools to set up quickly in all kinds of spaces. By Jessica Shepherd, guardian.co.uk.

18 June:   Visit the Department for Education news pages   Stories of special note are: Process for setting up Free Schools outlined; Current position on home education and SEN funding; Response to Ofsted’s inspection judgements 2009/10; Cross-government savings: Letter to LAs; Free School Meals continue [as is]: costly expansion plans shelved.

17 June:   Extension of Young Person's Guarantee to be dropped   Eleven other promises from the previous government have also been axed.

17 June:   Ofsted home education report comes under fire   The Education Select Committee has said the report confuses state duties with those of parents.

17 June:   Michael Gove sets out aims during conference address   The Education Secretary spoke to an audience of headteachers at the National College's annual leadership conference about academy freedoms, improving teaching, discipline, professional development, accountability and the curriculum.

17 June:   Government creates Childhood and Families Taskforce   The taskforce will develop policies to improve childhood and family life.

16 June:   Eleven per cent of schools in high deprivation areas graded outstanding   The encouraging rise in the Ofsted figures have been put down to the success of the new self evaluation form.

15 June:   Think tank fears academies could sever community links   The Local Government Information Unit has emphasised the need for new managing bodies to include governors from the community to fill gaps in local knowledge.

16 June:   Poll of teachers shows demand for more training   The survey by the Guardian newspaper also showed backing for the soon-to-be-axed body Becta.

15 June:   Children's services chiefs left to decide cuts in area-based grants   The DfE has announced councils must decide individually how to fulfil the £311m in reductions to the funding of various activities including extended services.

15 June:    Common sense and proportionality to guide vetting and barring from now on?   Up to nine million people who frequently work with children and about to be vetted, will now not be. However, while government undertakes its review, the October 2009 safeguarding regulations still apply. Read more at the Independent Safeguarding Authority's website.

15 June:   Essex council increases engineering apprenticeships   The council is working with the European Social Fund and local educational institutions to ensure the sector's expertise is not lost due to the recent economic climate.

14 June:   Microbanking project set to help poorer communities of Glasgow   The Grameen banking system has been used in developing countries to improve health and social outcomes for the disadvantaged.

10 June:   Becta to continue SEN work until March 2011   The DfE has agreed that the quango should complete its current ICT Services Framework One before shutting down.

9 June:   Schools in Wales sign up to health scheme   99 per cent of schools have signed up to improve their food, fitness, hygiene and safety during school life.

9 June:   Free school meals extension is dropped   Child poverty campaigners have likened the decision to a tax hike for poor families.

8 June:   Children's services bosses send Gove letter of priorities   The Association of Directors of Children's Services insists that local authorities play a central role in the proposed reforms.

8 June:   Youth sector bands together to promote work   The Youth Work Sector Expert Group has been formed in anticipation of potential cuts.

8 June:   Youth opportunity fund expected to be diminished   Some regional government offices have already been told of the changes.

8 June:   Not enough parents read to their children   The National Literacy Trust has launched its Tell Me A Story campaign to tackle the problem.

8 June:   Children's centres prepared for reduced funding   Local authorities are identifying that the daycare element of children's centres is not financially viable without a government subsidy.

7 June:   Michael Gove writes letter to Ed Balls about spending cuts   The letter outlines his intentions for the Department for Education and a breakdown of its financial restructuring, including a £25 million saving in the Extended Services budget.

4 June:   GTC seeks legal advice after abolition announcement   The General Teaching Council has said it will fight Michael Gove's decision to scrap it.

3 June:   Failing schools given year to improve   Michael Gove has said any school put under "special measures" by Ofsted will have to change or they face being placed under new administration.

2 June:   New partnership-working guidelines published in Scotland   The Scottish government hopes the partnership approach will help make the most of resources at people's disposal.

2 June:   35 new schools to be built in Scotland   The Scottish government will provide £800 million of the £1.25 billion required for the Schools for the Future programme.

2 June:   221 teaching jobs to be cut in Northern Ireland   Caitriona Ruane, NI's Minister for Education, hopes that the majority of the redundancies will be voluntary.

2 June:   School policies are rarely based on evidence   A study of 30 years of education has found that government policy decisions and changes are often due to media pressure, whilst evidence and public opinion take a back seat.

1 June:   ContactPoint to be scrapped   The child database is to end but councils will still receive their ContactPoint grants this month to tie up loose ends.

1 June:   Youth offending teams brace for cuts   Due to a system of multiple funding partners each experiencing cuts, YOTs are preparing for large reductions.

1 June:   Play strategy to lose funding   Although creation of new playgrounds has been ring-fenced, cuts are expected to affect staffing.

1 June:   Education budget cuts in full   Two agencies have been abolished while five have had their funding trimmed.

1 June:   Abolition of Becta draws criticism   A main concern is the loss of the procurement savings that the agency provided.

1 June:   New awareness campaign about young carers aimed at teachers   A film from Young Carers Revolution will be launched next week.

1 June:   Definition of child poverty to be changed   Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith says he wants to widen the definition.

1 June:   Early Years Foundation Stage may be dropped   The abolition of the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency has meant the framework's main support system has been greatly reduced.

1 June:   Connexions service likely to suffer cuts   The information and advice resource for young people is funded by the DfE's area-based grant which is to be slashed by £311 million.

1 June:   Ofsted likely to stop inspecting social care   Education Secretary Michael Gove has said that he did not want the body to grade schools on pupil wellbeing or community cohesion.

1 June:   Prominent academy sponsors commit to joint working arrangements   Oasis and Ark have stated they wish to continue working with children's trusts so that work is not duplicated unnecessarily.

1 June:   Children's social care sector fears cuts   Chancellor George Osbourne's omission of children in care when announcing what spending would be protected has caused growing concern.

1 June:   One in ten local authorities do not have children in care councils   Despite key reforms in 2007, several local authorites have failed to follow the Care Matters white paper.

1 June:   Indefinite future slows uptake of vital roles   Despite having funding available, organisations from the children and young people's sector are finding it difficult to find the right staff due to contracts being necessarily short-term.

26 May:   All schools invited to become academies   Schools rated as outstanding have been told they can be fast-tracked into academy status in time for the next school year.

26 May:   Teaching unions unhappy with new school policies   Several unions have warned the government to avoid neglecting local authority-controlled schools.

26 May:   1,000 Scottish schools attain 'Green Flag' eco status   Nearly a third of state schools in Scotland have now achieved the accolade.

25 May:   Grandparents caring for children may benefit from court ruling   Kent County Council ordered to pay grandmother same wages as a foster carer.

25 May:   'Big Society' plan reroutes money earmarked for youth facilities   The estimated £300m-£400m will now be split between neighbourhood groups, charities and social enterprises - although some will still go to youth facilities.

25 May:   The Queen's speech   What it spelled out about education.

25 May:   Scottish government launches education website for public to share views   Engage for Education is designed to allow parents, teachers, pupils and others to have their say on key education issues.

25 May:   Government urged to create youth recruitment taskforce   The National Network of Volunteer-Involving Agencies says the move is needed to get young people involved in the 'Big Society'.

25 May:   Interest in Swedish-style free schools grows   85 more groups have signed up to the ‘free schools’ scheme since the new coalition began. Jessica Shepherd, The Guardian, report.

24 May:   Cuts to save more than £300m this year   Some quangos will go; however, some have saved schools money.

24 May:   £128m: size of cuts in Northern Ireland   Education to take a £670m cut. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are working on a common approach to the reduction in public spending.

24 May:   Welsh Assembly Government responds to cuts    Efficiency and Innovation Board will help Wales to respond innovatively to public spending cuts.

24 May:   Pupil-made film to showcase pupil referral units   Students were helped by professionals as part of the project in Worcestershire.

23 May:   The man in charge of the 'Big Society'   Nat Wei is making Cameron's social revolution slogan a reality.

20 May:   Swipe card raises free meal uptake   The introduction of a youth entitlement card in Barking has led to an increase in the uptake of free school meals.

20 May:   First decline in child poverty since 2005   Figures published by the Department for Work and Pensions shows that the number of children in poverty fell by 100,000 over the past year.

20 May:   Comprehensive Area Assessment scrapped   The Local Government Association has welcomed the end of the burdensome inspection system.

20 May:   Coalition announces agreed education policies   Free schools and pupil premiums feature highly on the new official agenda.

20 May:   SureStart to focus only on neediest   The new government has reduced the service's remit as part of their drive to cut costs.

20 May:   Rise in pupils with special educational needs   Experts believe the increase may be due to mis-diagnosis.

20 May:   Fewer children walking to school in Scotland   The trend is being blamed on increasing concerns over road safety and 'stranger danger'.

20 May:   New under-secretary for schools appointed   Jonathan Hill comes from a PR background specialising in education and transport.

19 May:   Rise in asylum-seeking children falling into destitution   Projects working with refugees say they are overwhelmed by the scale of distress.

19 May:   Funding shift to frontline education in Wales   A review by Education Minister Leighton Andrews suggests reducing allocation to support services by 2 per cent.

19 May:   £7.5 million for play projects in Wales   The Big Lottery Fund grant is part of the Healthy Families Programme.

18 May:   Big Lottery funding to help young people at risk of gang violence   £4 million is being shared amongst fifteen projects as part of the Reaching Communities programme.

18 May:   Hackney housing associations encourage young people   The Youth Engagement Project have created a website with local young people for young residents to share views and become involved in community activities.

18 May:   Plans for changes to schools in England move ahead   Legislation expected within weeks.

18 May:   Children's ministers announced   The majority of new positions have been taken up by Conservative members of the coalition.

17 May:   Work of children's sector bodies put on hold   The Department for Education has put several agencies on hold whilst the government settles on its priorities.

17 May:   Over two thirds of young carers are bullied at school   Nearly 40 per cent of those surveyed said teachers were unaware that they were young carers.

14 May:   Liberal Democrat Sarah Teather is education minister   And Tim Loughton is parliamentary under-secretary of state for Children. 

13 May:   Abolition of ContactPoint database   Kevin Williams, CEO of disabled children's charity, calls for ContactPoint database to be kept intact as disabled children need co-ordinated support.

13 May:   The coalition plans to end the detention of children in immigration centres.   But children's rights campaigners are urging that asylum-seeking families be kept together.

13 May:   Does the DCSF need rebranding?   Young Minds, among others, says the change should not really be necessary.

13 May:   Slight rise in adult learners   The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education surveyed 5,000 adults.

12 May:   Despite hard times, an exciting journey ahead for education?   The Education Secretary Michael Gove reveals the focus of the newly-created Department for Education.

12 May:   Fast-tracking £6bn of cuts in this financial year    There are inevitable fears among professionals that this will affect front-line children's services, despite assurances.

12 May:   New education secretary   Read his profile here.

12 May:   Report investigates racism amongst young in Northern Ireland   Attitudes to Difference includes findings from over 5,000 interviews.

11 May:   Looked-after children are singing   NCB and Sing Up, the national singing programme, are delivering seven innovative projects aimed at raising the well-being and educational outcomes among looked-after children.

11 May:   New research highlights positive impact of singing   Music programmes such as Sing Up can improve academic results, confidence and attainment.

11 May:   NYA issues update on vocational qualifications   The National Youth Agency has developed its qualifications for youth work.

11 May:   CRAE challenges parties on children's rights   The Children's Rights Alliance for England asked for responses on the future of children's rights.

10 May:   What does the Con/Lib-Dem coalition mean for schools?   From uncompromising views  to uncomfortable compromise...

10 May:   Pupils sit old Sats tests in boycott   Headteachers are appeasing parents and children who have prepared for tests by giving pupils last year's Sats.

10 May:   Half of Scottish teachers work 400 hours a year unpaid   The Scottish Secondary Teachers Association put the figure down to extra responsibilities such as admin.

7 May:   Report highlights importance of early years provision in Northern Ireland   The Pre-School Expansion Programme has helped over 21,000 children.

4 May:   Most teachers wish to remain under local authority control   A survey by the National Foundation for Educational Research also found that 46 per cent were opposed to mergers and takeovers of underperforming schools.

4 May:   Benefits of a hung parliament?   Leaders in the children’s services sector think that a hung parliament could lead to better policies for children and young people.
 
4 May:   Local authorities may have to foot ‘hefty’ bills for special education needs (SEN) in academy style schools under Tories.    Teaching unions warn.

4 May:   Outsourcing youth services could hinder rather than help voluntary youth organisations    Voluntary groups in areas where this already happens say the approach fragments the sector as organisations have to compete in cut-throat ways for the same contracts; and under contracted model lacks full-time qualified youth workers and fewer training opportunities. 

4 May:   Schools' knife-crime programmes threatened   worthwhile new initiatives are cut only a few months into their work. Paul Fletcher of Rathbone Charity says: 'A business wouldn't work like that, so why do we tackle a serious social issue in this way?'

4 May:   Strong education department needed in central government to champion education   Ed Balls criticises plans to break up DCSF.

2 May:   Headteachers want parents with false complaints to be fined   Parents inventing damaging claims against teachers are going unpunished.

29 April:   Children's trusts and children and young people plans essential to joint working.   YoungMinds Charity head says scrapping children’s trusts threatens young people’s well-being.  

28 April:   Charity claims joint working essential to stop youth crime   The Revolving Doors Charity’s report points to the lack of co-ordination between children's and adult services, which allows young people to fall through the gaps of support services.

28 April:   Moving away from universal provision could 'ghettoise' children’s services.   Targeting the welfare state’s provisions at only the poorest families would give them a ‘second class deal’ says Balls.

26 April:   Could schools’ dreams come true?   The Tories tell parents they will provide a new generation of smallers schools with smaller classes. Cameron and Gove say Tories could make school 'dreams come true'

27 April:   Will the Early Years Foundation Stage be 'slimmed down'?

27 April:   Play strategy needs embedding among local authorities   Complaints have risen about play's absence from the main parties' agendas.

27 April:   Sure Start and children's centres are key election issue in Warwick   The marginal constituency of Warwick and Leamington has the parties locking horns over services for local children and young people.

26 April:   Councils straining to meet rising safeguarding demands   A survey of 105 councils by the Association of Directors of Children's Services revealed the mounting workload.

26 April:   Charities call for free childcare to be guaranteed   Several charities have demanded assurance from all parties that the free entitlement to 12.5 hours childcare per week will remain in place following the upcoming election.

24 April:   Scottish private schools told to open up to communities   Education secretary Michael Russell warned that they may lose their charitable status if they do not provide benefits to the wider public.

23 April:   Behaviour improves in secondary schools    Ofsted'd most recent report: 'good' or 'outstanding' ticks for nearly four out of five secondary schools in England.

23 April:   Childcare centres closing due to downturn   Nearly 900 closed last year due to parents relying more on friends and family for childcare.

23 April:   Farmers set up markets at primary schools   Schools in Cardiff are working with local farmers to educate children about food and help boost local business.

22 April:   Most local authorities have no safer travel policy   A survey by 4Children has found 60 per cent did not tackle bullying on journeys to and from schools.

22 April:   Scottish Education Secretary asks for new ideas   Michael Russell has invited teachers, parents and councils to suggest new proposals for delivering education, especially through community involvement.

22 April:   Breakfast Club Plus Awards announced   Winners and runners up were commended for including multiple activities and community members into their mornings to encourage children's wellbeing.

21 April:   Petition to bring financial education back from the 'wash up'   Charities and consumer groups have joined forces to urge whoever wins the election to bring in the financial education reforms that were lost in the recent education bill.

20 April:   New guidance for outdoor learning in Scotland   An online resource is also being launched with best practice examples and ideas.

20 April:   Physical exercise improves children's mental abilities   A study carried out over 1,000 primary schools found that a small amount of daily exercise improved concentration and test scores.

20 April:   NSPCC launches school safeguarding tool   The new internet programme, ISIS, will allow schools to assess themselves step by step.

20 April:   Referrals to children's social care up 16.5 per cent   Some councils report difficulties in hiring enough staff to meet demands.

20 April:   Pilot to help vulnerable mothers to be expanded   The Southwark scheme will be used in Oxford, Hackney, West Mansfield and West Norfolk.

20 April:   Vulnerable children and young people overlooked in party manifestos   Several charities have registered their disappointment that none of the main parties have policies that help those most at risk.

19 April:   Organisation bids to safeguard early years care in Northern Ireland   Early Years has outlined a six point manifesto that it is lobbying the next government to commit to.

19 April:   Jamie Oliver to put own millions into school meals and food education  The chef said he hopes to help at least 1,000 schools and create a model for government policy.

18 April:   Volcano ash delays teachers and pupils returning from travels   The problems are predicted to affect absence figures that must be reported.

17 April:   Teaching unions vote in favour of boycotting tests   Both the NUT and the NUHT have overwhelmingly voted to stop 11 year old pupils taking national curriculum tests this May.

16 April:   Report calls for more education outside the classroom   The Children, Schools and Families Committee report recommends increasing funding towards out of school learning.

15 April:   Welsh county to pilot all-through school system   Ceredigion County Council is to overhaul a number of schools to make them cater for pupils aged three to nineteen.

15 April:   £100,000 for early years Gaelic initiatives   The Scottish government hopes the funding will create a new generation of Gaelic speakers.

15 April:   Supplementary schools boost performance and confidence   A new report from the DCSF puts the success down to the fact that they are voluntary and community-run.

15 April:   Study says CAF engagement must improve   Despite successes, many of the 24 councils involved found both parents and schools reluctant to fully use the common assessment framework.

15 April:   Positive Opportunities scheme to be rolled out across Worcestershire   Piloted in Redditch, the POW extended services programme gives pupils the chance to access activities they could not normally afford.

13 April:   Inner city school buys boarding school   The innovative move by Durand Primary School in London means that it will be able to provide an all-through education for its pupils once they reach 13.

9 April:   Innovative peer-led programme teaches consequences of violence   The Get Real project in Merseyside uses violent video games as a way of showing examples to primary school children.

8 April:   Report recommends Dutch approach to NEET problem   A new Children, Schools and Families Select Committee report has recommended that benefit entitlements of young people should, as in the Netherlands, be linked to further study or training.

8 April:   National School Grounds Week announced   Turn your school's playground into an art gallery during this June event.

7 April:   New report wants more emphasis on culture in extended school programme   The Department for Media, Culture and Sport also wants more older children encouraging their younger peers.

7 April:   Key reforms sacrificed to push through education bill   Despite some less attractive parts being dropped, a major casualty was the promise of extra funds for tutoring failing primary school pupils individually.

6 April:   Eighty breakfast clubs awarded £350 each   Continyou's successful Breakfast Club Plus programme received funding from Blue Peter's Mission Nutrition appeal for the grants.

6 April:   NUT urges end to target culture   The National Union of Teachers called for honest and open debates on education in the run-up to the general election.

6 April:   London childcare team loses dedicated funding   The team at the London Development Agency will cease to concentrate on offering better access to childcare from 2012.

5 April:   Cumbria to receive £61.5 million for school renovations   The county's council is now one of more than 100 local authorities involved in the Building Schools for the Future scheme.

5 April:   Government outlines 'Teacher's Guarantee'   The commitment includes reduced admin work and increased disciplinary powers.

2 April:   Procurement mistakes needlessly affecting school budgets   Haphazard leasing of equipment and lack of informative handover are cited as common problems.

1 April:   Poll shows preference for schools to remain under local authority control   Only four per cent polled think giving private companies control would be a good idea.

1 April:   Free school meals scheme to be extended   The eight new pilots starting in September will also prompt further investigation into the scheme's benefits.

31 March:   Pilot scheme for local 'mutuals' to run Sure Start centres   Starting later this spring, five local authorities will give control of children's centres to organisations made up of local people, parents and staff.

30 March:   School-to-school visiting scheme to encourage sharing top practical advice   'Inside Knowledge' aims to help in five areas including sustainability and narrowing the gap for disadvantaged pupils.

30 March:   Social bonds could be used to raise money for early intervention   Action for Children has said the government's step towards private investment was 'a big move'.

30 March:   Ofsted change rules without consultation   Many councils are now likely to get unexpectedly low ratings due to safeguarding inspection changes.

29 March:   New report says any cuts to SureStart would be 'backwards'   An accompanying survey has found that any reductions to the scheme would be very unpopular.

29 March:   First sixteen primaries to become part of chains are announced   Schools Secretary Ed Balls hopes the Accredited Schools programme will help raise standards.

24 March:   SureStart funding to be protected until 2013   The Chancellor also announced in today's annual Budget that schools would have to make 'efficiency savings'.

24 March:   New emphasis on teaching about personal finance   To coincide with this year's Budget and the concern that children are ignorant of the world's economic situation, a new campaign called My Money Week has been launched.

23 March:   World-Class Youth Offer launched   New schemes in addition to the government's Aiming High strategy include trials to have all young people involved in up to 50 hours of community activities.

23 March:   Scheme to provide laptops for poorest children in Wales   Hundreds of 10 and 11 year olds within Communities First and Flying Start areas will receive the machines to avoid digital exclusion.

23 March:   Careers advice under scrutiny from Ofsted   A new Ofsted report claims that the quality of advice many young people receive is so varied that many are making poorly-informed life decisions.

20 March:   New online map for finding extended school services   The TDA is encouraging schools to become listed on their modified Google map to help parents find out what services are available.

18 March:   Headteachers say building programme is transforming learning   Eight out of ten heads surveyed said that the government's Building Schools for the Future scheme is raising aspirations and improving behaviour.

17 March:   Ofsted release report on reducing NEETs   The DCSF will invest £8.2 billion over the next two years to reduce the numbers of young people not in education, employment or training.

17 March:   £6m for after-school Olympic sport clubs   3,000 clubs are to be set up as part of the government's pledge to give young people five hours of sport per week.

17 March:   Parents know little about out-of-hours services in schools   A poll by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) shows many parents don't know what extended services and activities are available for themselves and their children.

17 March:   £5 million to combat youth violence   The success of the Tackling Knives and Serious Youth Violence Action Programme means it has been extended for another year.

16 March:   3,500 Sure Start centres now open   The children's centre programme is now considered a universal service for all parents.

16 March:   Call for better CAF use   The Common Assessment Framework has been left unused in many cases, with professionals referring cases to social care instead.

16 March:   Social workers urge England to look to Scottish model   The British Association of Social Workers has called on the Local Government Association to use Scotland's Getting it Right for Every Child model.

15 March:   OPEN advocated as key step for schools to save money   A new online service has been launched to help schools reduce procurement costs on goods and services.

15 March:   Anti-knife crime week launched   Count Me In: Together We Can Stop Knife Crime week was organised in association with Families Utd, a charitable organisation representing the families of victims of knife crime.

15 March:   Low social mobility will cost UK £140 billion   The Sutton Trust has suggested a 'Mobility Manifesto' in its report to combat the losses predicted by 2050.

15 March:   'Pupil premium' pledged by all three main parties   Whatever the outcome at this year's general election, the big three have all promised to narrow the achievement gap and distribute funds to the most deprived students.

14 March:   Teen mums struggle to return to education   A new report by Barnardo's has found many young mothers feel unofficially excluded and often abandon their aspirations.

12 March:   Association of Learning Providers fears lack of business   A survey of private training providers revealed beliefs that local authorities are ignorant of most services on offer.

8 March:   Regular observation and 'close collaboration' with families is part of high-quality childcare care   Ofsted report says high-quality childcare helps identify the needs of vulnerable children early.

8 March:   National Challenge Trust news: Government announces nearly £7 million extra funding to secure progress at ten schools across England

8 March:  Six more local authorities given green light to join the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme    Birmingham, Cumbria and Gloucestershire are next in line to enter.

4 March:   Schools Minister takes action to prepare young people for employment    A new guide on enterprise education has been launched and two top employers named as 'Business Mentoring Champions'. Find the new guide here

4 March:   Specially trained Active Lifestyle coaches to get inactive children moving   People who children know well - parents, teaching assistants, for example - will be helping to motivate inactive 20,000 young people in 1,100 schools in England to engage in physical activity for at least one extra hour a week.

4 March:   Large rise in men applying to be teachers   There has been a 52% increase in male applications, with many coming from science and engineering backgrounds.

4 March:   Wales celebrates Give a Book Week   Welsh schools have been encouraging pupils to give books to others and take part in book-reading events in the run up to World Book Day today.

3 March:   Report from the Science for Careers Expert Group published   Some food for thought here for anyone running out-of-school-hours clubs – roads towards science and maths careers start from many corners of learning.

3 March:   Scottish parents want more informal communication with teachers   Responses to a survey found that parents would welcome social evenings or internet correspondence.

3 March:   Supervised outdoor play has positive effects on young people   After-school play programmes and other play schemes can help provide important life skills to young people at risk of offending.

3 March:   Family intervention projects show huge positive impact   Due to the large reductions in anti-social behaviour, a further 44 new projects have been announced.

3 March:   School trips unavailable to many pupils   Recent rule changes for covering teachers have meant many schools have organised fewer outings over the last half year.

3 March:   Charity urges lengthening of school day to curb delinquency   Action for Children says the problem stems from older children refusing to attend after-school clubs.

3 March:   £90 million to fund transport for diploma pupils   The new allocation is aimed at helping 14-19 year olds living in rural and semi-rural areas during the 2010/11 academic year.

2 March:   New early intervention centre for stammering children in West Yorkshire   The appeal for a further £2 million to complete the project is being supported by the Prince of Wales and Michael Palin.

2 March:   Mentoring scheme improving father confidence   The service in Staffordshire has helped fathers in their family relationships and also encouraged them to continue using wider children's centre services.

1 March:   Literacy standards website launched   The National Literacy Trust website offers free research and policy information and other resources for professionals.

1 March:   Funding for children's centres likely to be reduced   A new report suggests closing some to keep other more successful centres open.

27 February:   Date set for Sats boycott vote   The National Association of Head Teachers and the National Union of Teachers will be able to vote from 15 March, just a few weeks before Sats are due to be taken by pupils around the country.

25 February:   Study advocates more spending on pre-schoolers   More funding for programmes such as Sure Start and nurseries will reap huge long-term benefits, says Demos.

25 February:   Under-achieving school becomes 'outstanding' in just four years   The success of Lindens Primary School in Sutton Coldfield is attributed to a renewed emphasis on art, design, music and drama.

24 February:   National data to be gathered to aid children's services   Dwindling budgets and increased demand coupled with recruitment difficulties mean widespread improvements are crucial.

24 February:   School governors to get legal training to support pupils with special educational needs   The action plan also includes £4 million for advanced SEN teacher training.

24 February:   School building cuts predicted to damage pupil motivation   The head of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment claims the trimming of the Building Schools for the Future programme will also demotivate teachers.

23 February:   Revamped youth centre opens in King's Cross   The £1.7 million refurbishment means New Horizons, the second myplace centre to open in England, can ensure vulnerable young people will receive specialist support.

23 February:   Welsh afterschool computer games club increases IT skills   The head of ComputerXplorers says that, due to activities such as programming, children are learning valuable skills without even realising.

23 February:   First accredited schools chains given go ahead   The new initiative of letting sponsors take control of multiple schools has been met with a frosty reception from teaching unions.

19 February:   'Positive about Youth' campaign launched by UK Youth   The charity's centenary is being used to try combat the negative portrayal of young people in the media.

19 February:   Scottish teaching union: "There is nothing left to trim"   The Educational Institute of Scotland has published reports from teachers around the country struggling with a lack of resources.

17 February:   New campaign to get more families using extended services   With radio and press adverts starting today, Children's Minister Dawn Primarolo is urging parents to be aware of the range of activities their local schools are offering.

16 February:   New measures to tackle underage drinking   In time for half-term this week, the government's new drive includes a national football tournament for over 2,000 young people to participate in.

16 February:   Bad parenting made scapegoat for all children's problems   An article by a sociology professor has said that overemphasis by media and politicians on parenting as the root of most socioeconomic dilemmas has been damaging for education and family relations.

15 February:   East Lothian to transfer control of clusters to independent trusts   Scottish education minister Mike Russell has backed the controversial scheme which may cause pupils to be shifted between schools.

15 February:   Poorest children lagging behind in language skills   A report by the Sutton Trust has suggested that the gap could be improved by encouraging parents to read to their children and give them fixed bed times.

11 February:   New qualification opens up jobs for young people with learning difficulties   Originating in Cardiff, the successful Moving On Up programme fills a gap in the education market and demonstrates pupils' skills and capabilities to employers.

11 February:   Think-tank to award charities tackling social issues   The Centre for Social Justice has annnounced it has £60,000 to give to small charities and voluntary groups. Apply here by 22 February.

10 February:   Support programme launched for organisations working with children and young people   The National Children's Bureau's Voluntary Sector Support programme has been created to provide a range of services including guidance on commissioning and funding opportunities.

9 February:   Sure Start awareness campaign launched   A UNISON-sponsored initiative is encouraging people to 'shout out for a sure start' in a drive to get more families using Sure Start Children's Centres.

9 February:   Safer Internet Day   The UK Council for Child Internet Safety public awareness campaign encourages young people to: ZIP IT: Keep your personal stuff private and think about what you say and do online; BLOCK IT: Block people who send nasty message and don’t open unknown links and attachments; FLAG IT: Flag it with someone you trust if anything upsets you

8 February   Signpost families to the Home Access programme.    The government’s Home Access programme, which offers grants to low-income families for computers and one year's access to the internet with support, has has a huge uptake.

4 February:   More funds for free school meals   All local authorities have been invited to bid for cash to fund more universal free school meal pilots. The pilots began in September 2009 and there has been very positive feedback.

2 February:    Total Place is a way for councils to ‘do more with less’.    In Coventry Total Place aims to improve outcomes for young people by reshaping services, particularly through extended schools. Lauren Higgs reports in Children and Young People Now.

2 February:   Relatioinship training will be required   The ‘Support for All’ green paper says the government wants everyone working with families to be trained to deal with relationship difficulties.

2 February:   Dads seem to be doing okay   The National Academy for Partenting Practitioners has produced a new summary document called Evaluating the evidence: Fathers, families and children. While services aimed at fathers are well-intentioned, however, Dr Kirsten Asmussen, project lead says children are 'unlikely to benefit from their fathers attending them unless they include evidence-based elements specifically aimed at improving the father/child relationship.’ You can download the document here.

1 February:   Major UK employers are expecting to hire thousands of apprentices in 2010.   During National Apprenticeship Week, the government celebrated the commitment of employers to recruit apprentices and urged people to look at the benefits to their skills and career of becoming an apprentice.

29 January:   Music can boost wider learning (well, we knew that, didn't we!)

28 January:   ContinYou has launched a new website

28 January:   Early intervention for poor white boys stalling?

27 January:   Estelle Morris to chair commission on school libraries. The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and the National Literacy Trust have launched a commission to assess the role of the school library in the England's 21st century schools.

27 January:   Statistics show children in Wales receive less per pupil funding

27 January:   Constantly rowing families cause children major emotional damage

25 January:   Poverty worsens - and the recession makes it harder to get a grip on it   Save the Children says efforts to reduce child poverty have 'slid into reverse'.

25 January:   New Study reveals phenomenal results   The reading charity Booktrust and the University of Leicester reveal the phenomenal effect of a reading project on literacy and mathematical abilities of children in care.

24 January:   Should parents set up their own state schools? Discuss   Fed up with their educational options, more and more parents are detemined to build their own local schools. But is this really the answer to our classroom crisis? In a special report, parents, educators and activists reveal the hard lessons they're learning. Read the article by Geraldine Bedell in The Observer.

20 January:   How the government will help the 21st century family

20 January:   Funding for more Family Intervention Projects (FIPs)    £2.6m to help local authorities to start or expand FIPs in their regions.

20 January:   Support for All – the Families and Relationships Green Paper    Green paper's provisions aim to improve support for families that are struggling.

18 January:   Tie funding to poverty levels rather than race.   A teachers' union argues that white working class pupils need 'dedicated and specific attention'.

18 January:   Wales education funding to be geared towards the 'front line'. Education Minister Leighton Andrews has announced an experts' review of education funding to examine how savings can be made and how resources can be better allocated.

13 January:   Some good news about secondary schools

12 January:   Child poverty costs the UK an estimated at £25bn each year. Experts say government could fork out just £4.2bn a year to reduce it with a focus on raising low incomes, creating more sustainable, high-quality jobs and making the safety net more adequate for those who cannot work.

12 January:   Tim Loughton thinks Every Child Matters is a sound framework. Find out what else he’s thinking  - about youth services, children’s services, joined-up working…

12 January:   Sustained investment in NEETs is working, so the government is urged not to let up. However, services for NEETs aged 18 and over need improvement and better integration.

7 January:   Is the 21st Century Schools agenda too complex? The proposals for accountability by schools has come in for criticism by the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee.

7 January:    DCSF cuts may affect field forces. The current view is that various pilots and programmes will be streamlined to save money. 

7 January:   Will local authorities take on more of a commissioning role in relation to youth services? With cuts up ahead, the Community and Youth Workers' Union (CYWU) is urging political parties to commit to making youth services statutory.

7 January:   Keeping Children and Young People In Mind, a report on children and young people’s mental health sets out a commitment to draw on good practice and existing evidence to support local areas to deliver effective and high-quality mental health services for children and young people. The government will back this up with a major package to support local delivery. Download the report.

6 January   New data on perceptions of anti-social behaviour. Since the launch of the Youth Crime Action Plan, new data show that residents in areas most affected by youth anti-social behaviour have noticed an increased police presence and extra activities that are keeping youing people off the streets  keep young people off the streets since the launch of the Youth Crime Action Plan.

6 January:   Henry Winkler (aka the Fonz) helps launch the My Way Campaign. Winkler recently joined up with Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Sarah Brown, wife of the Prime Minister to launch the campaign to raise awareness of learning differences, improve attitudes towards children with SEN and inspire young people with SEN. It begins on 22 January in First News, the children’s newspaper sent to all schools throughout the UK.

5 January:   New research by London Economics shows that if schools put up the price of school meals up by ten per cent take-up falls by between seven and ten per cent. Read the report.

4 January:   New Years Honours List features children’s centre professionals, teachers and other education workers. Teachers and other education workers featured prominently in this year's New Years Honours List, while children's centre professionals were also recognised. Charlotte Goddard reports. 

4 January   Survey finds one in six children (and nearly one quarter are boys) – have some difficulties in learning to talk. Early intervention during the ‘golden period’ between 0 and 5 years old is vital.

4 January:   New focus on children with speech development difficulties   The Communications Champion post has been created to help the significant number of UK children who need help and support with their communication skills.

2 January:   Tiny island school uses web to connect with mainland   Glow, the world's first national education intranet, is allowing the 19 pupils of Bernera primary school to attend outside lessons and take part in remote events.

1 January:   Thousands of qualified teachers have never taught   Over seven years, at least 25,000 people qualified to become teachers but never went into the profession.

31 December:   Violence amongst under fives on the rise   New figures show the suspension of very young pupils is becoming more common despite Ofsted's reports that the majority of schools have well-behaved students.

23 December:   Scottish teaching union insists on more music tuition   Citing that spending on education is at a record high, The Educational Institute of Scotland has contacted every school in Scotland to encourage more support for music lessons.

23 December:   Every school in England to receive extra books   Between 15 and 25 traditional and modern classics will be sent to each school as part of the Everyone's Reading scheme.

22 December:   Wales: Handling the Travel Code   New guidance now accompanies the first ever All Wales Travel Behaviour Code, which aims to promote positive behaviour and improve the safety of pupils travelling to school and college in Wales.

21 December:   Holiday play schemes at risk from staffing regulations   SkillsActive, the playwork sector skills council, has recommended relaxing qualification requirements to avoid turning children away.

21 December:   New all-through extended school judged as 'outstanding'   The first Ofsted inspection at King Solomon Academy, where some students have a 9 hour day, has reported that pupils are 'completely engaged'.

21 December:   Lack of parent feedback confounding childcare pilot scheme   The next phase of the Childcare Affordability Programme is to be implemented this month but a report has found it near impossible to judge its effectiveness.

18 December:   Manchester to gain more independence over budget spending   Central government will devolve powers and a large budget for local schemes to 10 Greater Manchester councils.

17 December:   Ofqual suggests scrapping pen and paper exams   The regulation body claims computer-based testing could reduce cheating and increase marking efficiency, but critics say it could lead to a decline in handwriting.

17 December:   Childcare charity found to have acted illegally   In addition to running into debt of more than £10m, Catz Club, a charity running breakfast and after-school clubs, went against regulations by making donations to a political party.

16 December:    Review claims special needs pupils are being ignored by schools   The Special Educational Consortium reports that children with disabilities, emotional problems and behavioural difficulties are eight times more likely to be suspended or expelled than their peers.

16 December:   £31m to create youth facilities in deprived areas   New projects will provide diverse activities such as street dance, cooking, film-making and canoeing.

16 December   New national helpline for parents of SEN pupils   In response to the recommendations in Brian Lamb’s final report on parental confidence, the government has set up a helpline to ensure parents who are unhappy with support can get help quickly.

15 December:   Marginal improvement in exam results of pupils on free school meals   The gap between FSM pupils and their peers has been reduced by 0.3 per cent for the second year in a row.

15 December:   £300m to combat youth unemployment   A new white paper promises more than 100,000 work and training opportunities to under 25s who have been unemployed for over six months.

15 December   Parents are more satisfied with services for disabled children   The Aiming High for Disabled Children programme aims to support parent participation. The second national sample survey of parents of disabled children in England (conducted between July and November 2009) shows an improvement in parent satisfaction with services.

15 December:   Red tape preventing heads from doing job   Kevin Bullock, a national education consultant and head of a top Cambridgeshire school, claims the DCSF has overwhelmed heads by imposing nearly 30,000 mandatory rules.

14 December:   25 Birmingham nurseries in danger of losing funding   Diversion of money towards more deprived areas puts existing recipients in jeopardy.

11 December:   Salmond forfeits free school meals in order to reduce class sizes   The head of the Scottish government can only guarantee free meals for pupils most in need if Scotland's council leaders accept deal.

11 December:   Safeguarding laws threaten school activities, say heads   Representatives of almost 45,000 schools have objected to new child protection rules which they insist will deter parent-helpers, stop language exchange programmes and reduce work experience placements.

10 December:   Young people in Wales invited to suggest improvements for life in Wales   The Welsh Assembly Government has launched a competition asking for innovative visions for Wales over the next 20 years, offering prizes such as laptops.

10 December:   Early Years Single Funding Formula delayed until April 2011   Children's Minister announces extra year to allow local authorities to finish developing individual plans.

10 December:   Vulnerable teenagers to receive boost from lottery funding   Multi-million pound pot to concentrate on young carers, care leavers and young people leaving custody.

10 December:   Plan to report bullies rejected by heads   School's Minister Vernon Croaker hoped scheme would help reassure parents but school heads say time and money would only be diverted away from tackling bullying.

9 December:   Extra 500,000 children to receive free school meals   Double-edged pre-Budget report offers good news for low income families but features large cuts in the Department for Children, Schools and Families budget. (Read the Mike Baker summary here).

9 December:   Government internship scheme for disadvantaged students   Up to 10,000 undergraduates will have access to help from summer 2010.

9 December:   Majority of councils performing well on children's services   With 10 graded as excellent, Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo tempers congratulations with a reminder to avoid complacency.

9 December:   CWDC launches community support website for children   The Children's Workforce Development Council hopes the new Children's Centre section on the vibrant DirectgovKids website will explain to children aged five to eleven about different support workers they may encounter.

8 December:   New ‘Green Cross Code’ for children's internet safety   From September 2011, online safety will be a compulsory part of the curriculum from age 5.

7 December:   Leeds City Council sets up improvement board for children's services   Unannounced Ofsted inspection fuels action to tackle the high number of young people not in education, employment or training.

7 December:   Think tank report calls for compulsory community service   Demos believes a national civic service for school children aged 7 and up could generate at least a £1bn in socio-economic returns.

4 December:   Childcare charges u-turn    Gordon Brown says the voucher scheme will continue for the time being - but higher-rate taxpayers will no longer get any extra benefit. Read more at This is money website.

3 December:   Online campaign for young people to upload career advice videos   YouthNet hopes users of Lifetracks.com can help raise aspirations in their peers by talking about real-life experiences.

3 December:   Do your services for families pass the Dad Test?   Read Ross Watson's report about the Dad test for children's services. Also read the discussion so far in the blog.

3 December:   End of regulation for childcare arrangements between friends where no money changes hands   "Changes to the legislation will not change the role of childminders” says Children's Minister, Dawn Primarolo.

3 December:   Further 120 schools to be added to co-operative network   The Children's Secretary aims for a total of 200 schools to be involved in trusts by the end of 2010.

3 December:   School in deprived area receives high praise for extra activities   With academic achievement much higher than predicted, Blue Bell Hill Primary School in Nottingham has topped the 'value added' league table.

3 December:   Taxpayers making up difference for sponsors failing to meet academy pledges   One in seven academies have yet to receive any money from private sponsors.

3 December:   Parents' evenings failing to inform parents   A survey of 2,000 primary school parents found 55 per cent felt the evenings did not tell them enough about their children's progress.

3 December:   Disadvantaged young people to be offered work experience placements   The Youth Sector Development Fund has opened applications for third sector organisations to help raise aspirations as well as a share of up to £10million.

3 December:   Number of trainee teachers on the rise   Figures from the Teaching and Development Agency for Schools reveal targets set for the predicted need for new teachers have all been met or exceeded.

3 December:   Positive Futures announces increase in participants becoming volunteers or securing jobs   The government's activity programme for young people in disadvantaged communities showed increases of 29 per cent in volunteering and a 36 per cent in those gaining jobs through the scheme.

1 December:   Further £600,000 to help employers fund staff taking NVQ's in health and social care   Over 5,000 people have received training in the last year from The Children's Workforce Development Council's previous £3million funding.

1 December:   Private school gives specialist maths lessons to top state pupils   St Paul's in London begins free lessons from top maths department for students from neighbouring schools.

1 December:   Separate classes for boys and girls?   Co-ed schools experiment with splitting sexes to help raise academic standards.

1 December:   Two in five teachers aspire to become heads   The predicted head teacher retirement crisis is given hope by a survey of 1,000 teachers.

1 December:   Government to provide over £1billion in Building Schools for Future funds   Around £300m will go to create 15,000 extra primary school places.

1 December:   Government launches new contraception campaign   Worth Talking About aims to educate and encourage discussion as well as promote sexual health screening.

1 December:   The Reading Agency launches support network for reading groups   Chatabout offers guidance and resources for setting up and running a successful reading group for adults with literacy needs.

1 December:   Participation project by YoungMinds wins award for raising mental health awareness    Very Important Kids ensures the views of young people with mental issues are heard across the sector, in government and in the media.

27 November:   21.6% drop in number of young offenders   Government attributes success to youth offending teams working with young people most at risk.

27 November:   Ofsted condemned for wasting time and money   The Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) claims the schools watchdog uses flawed methodology and fails to describe performance intelligibly.

27 November:   Poor rural families affected by lack of transport   A report by the Capacity for the Commission for Rural Communities has found large distances can mean less access to healthcare and other services.

27 November:   Children's Secretary approves first schools offering pupils paid work   Two schools in Luton and Kirklees will concentrate on business and enterprise alongside the national curriculum with weekly paid work experience.

27 November:   Low teacher expectations hold back black pupils   The review of the Black Children's Achievement Programme found that both black and white teachers underestimate their black students.

27 November:   Scottish teachers say discipline is improving   A survey of 3,500 teachers says 90% believe their students are well-behaved in class.

27 November:   Should all schools set up private social network sites to protect children?   Networks such as Kwercus could help educate children about online risks argues Tanya Byron, the government's internet safety czar.

27 November:   Children not exercising enough, new study warns   The British Heart Foundation's Couch Kids report says around one third of Scottish children are overweight or obese and calls for more parent awareness.

27 November:   NSPCC offers distance learning courses on child protection   EduCare provides 11 different programmes including children's rights, health awareness and bullying prevention.

27 November:   A new era of global education collaboration?   The first World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) was held last week in Doha, Qatar. The three day event closed with a declaration of 10 core priorities for education in the global era.

27 November:   UK and US schools encouraged to link and exchange ideas   The Transatlantic School Innovation Alliance (TSIA) centres on improving teaching, learning and urban leadership through the creation of an international school network.

27 November:   Charity urges Wales to focus more on communities   Pam Boyd, director of ContinYou Cymru, calls for Welsh schools to reap the benefits of pooling services.

27 November:   European Commission reports UK's education performance is "average"   Despite general improvements, findings indicate that progress in learning and training is unlikely to reach 2010 reform targets

20 November:   Ofsted names UK’s 12 best special educational needs schools   Outstanding performances ensured by strong partnerships with other education and health providers, along with refined teaching and meeting the needs of individual children.

20 November:   Disadvantaged Birmingham students make gains in performance   Despite considerable deprivation, Birmingham achieves 7 of 11 targets laid out in its 2009 Early Years Foundation Stage Profile, and has even exceeded 2 targets set for 2010.

20 November:   Bath children’s services expected to cut £3.4m over next 3 years   Radical redesign means only Bath’s most vulnerable will receive social care.

19 November:   Thousands of East Yorkshire children to benefit from £2.6m Disadvantage Subsidy   Pupils in Hull and East Riding to receive around £300 each for activities such as dance, kayaking and football.

19 November:   Free school meal pupils continue to fall behind   Almost 12 per cent of pupils on free school meals fail to sit five or more GCSEs or equivalent exams, compared with just 4 per cent of their more affluent counterparts.

19 November:   Yes Minister! – Government approval for Wigan ‘community hub’   Wigan is leading the way with pilot for the government's Total Place project.

19 November:   Ed Balls: Put children and young people at the heart of the care system   Five point plan to ensure children in care are consulted regarding their own lives and receive more support.

19 November:   £32m funding boost for young people in South West Wales   The ENGAGE Local Authority and Further Education initiative will target 14-16 year olds who are facing difficulties such as underachievement or absenteeism, and 16-19 year olds who are already in college but are at risk of dropping out.

19 November:   Ed Balls considers scrapping Sats for 11 year olds by 2012   Greater emphasis to be placed on teaching unions' suggestion of teacher assessment.

19 November:   Children, School and Families Bill proposes more responsibility for parents and more freedom for schools   Strengthened Home School Agreements clarify how parents are responsible for children's behaviour, while schools are given greater budget flexibility to pool resources with other schools and local agencies.

19 November:   50 struggling secondary schools targeted by Ed Balls   Proposals include turning schools into Academies or linking them in partnerships with other schools, businesses or universities.

19 November:   Education cash incentives for 16-18 year olds to be overhauled   Allowance could become dependent on participation and given to parents instead.

19 November:   Youth Led Banks provide MyBnk Business Loans for Global Entrepreneurship Week   MyBnk, a UK educational charity, launches three youth led banks that will provide young people with the opportunity to apply for loans with which their creative ideas can materialise into real life businesses and contribute to benefiting their schools and communities.

19 November:   Major curriculum reform to drive up standards   Sir Jim Rose proposes six areas of learning to be introduced from September 2011 including option of starting school at age 4.

13 November:   Schools must have clear plans for dealing with drug and alcohol incidents   A new consultation has been launched to ensure that teachers parents and the government work together to send out consistent messages about drug and alcohol use among young people.

12 November:   Parents may not choose employment if tax relief goes    A new survey shows that parents may not be able to work as they would not be able to pay for childcare without the childcare vouchers. Ben Cook at CYPN reports

12 November:  Some schools have difficulty using the CAF   The Local Authorities Research Consortium (Larc) has found, however, that where it is used effectively, staff understand children’s services better and have improved relationships with young people. Lauren Higgs of CYPN reports. 

12 November:   Listening to gran and grandpa    Grandparents and their representative organisations have attended a cross-government summit exploring the changing role of grandparent

12 November:    The 'Laugh at it, you're part of it'   This campaign continues as Ed Balls calls on parents to help stamp out bullying by always reporting incidents of it to their children’s schools. And the theme of this year’s Anti-bullying Week, which begins on 16 November, is ‘Stay safe in cyberspace’ – to tackle online bullying of and by young people.

12 November:  New funding boost to engage potential ‘NEETs’ in Wales  More than 12,000 young people across South West Wales are at risk of falling out of school or further education studies. The £32m ENGAGE Local Authority and Further Education initiative will target 14-16-year-olds who are facing difficulties such as underachievement or absenteeism, and 16-19 year olds who are already in college but are at risk of dropping out.

12 November:    'Smarter punishments' to fit youth crime   Judges and magistrates will have a choice of eighteen rigourous options from which they can create ‘smarter punishments’ for young people who commit crimes – with the aim of preventing re-offending. Some of the options include elements of restorative justice, such as young offenders having to apologise to their victims.

11 November:   Childcare vouchers saved us   Diane Dawson comments on Guardian.co.uk

11 November:   Aston Pride - Local Heroes   Aston Pride is the first community group to win one of the Birmingham Mail’s Local Hero awards. As part of its work, the group has helped set up breakfast clubs in inner-city Birmingham.

11 November:   John Lewis-style partnerships – could they transform schools?   Watch Labour’s general election manifesto for how this develops… Guardian’s Allegra Stratton reports.

11 November:  Preventing teenage pregnancy: giving young people knowledge and confidence works   The government has published its response to the Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group (TPIAG) 2007/08 annual report alongside an urge to continue to reduce teenage pregnancy rates further.

11 November:   Training for 35,000 new apprentices and technicians   Lord Mandelson has announced plans to cull thousands of the worst college courses, and up to 30 training quangos, to pay for 35,000 apprenticeships and create a class of trained technicians. Guardian's Polly Curtis reports.

10 November: Both parents to have the right to register their child’s birth

10 November:   Britain’s first online banking scheme for young people in schools    MyBnk, an award-winning UK educational charity, has launched the first-ever online banking service targeting under 16 year-olds as part of a new financial education scheme running in selected London schools.

6 November:   Conservatives say schools should be the 'engines of social mobility   'The central mission of the next Conservative government is the alleviation of poverty and the extension of opportunity. And nowhere is action required more than in our schools.' Schools Read Jessica Shepherd's report at guardian.co.uk.

6 November:  More parent advisers needed   3,469 advisers now support 13,261 schools in England. However, 40 per cent of schools are still without them.

6 November  Young people take over   30,000 young people will take part in decision-making in the public and private sectors as part of a Takeover Day event.

6 November   Boxing for excluded youth   A new scheme will offer boxing as a way of re-engaging disaffected young people in Peterborough.

6 November:  Less red tap when organising school trips   The government has launched a consultation on simple, straightforward guidance to cut red tape and save time around organising school trips, while still keeping young people safe.

5 November:   Sex education compulsory for young people between 15 and 16   From September 2011, it will be compulsory for all young people in England to learn about sex between the ages of 15 and 16, even if their parents object.  Read Jessica Shepherd's report.

5 November:   PSHE to be a statutory part of the national curriculum at primary and secondary level for all young people from 2011.

5 November:   Tips for the hard times    ContinYou's Joe Hayman talks to Children & Young People Now magazine.

4 November:   More support for at-risk families and children   Twenty areas across England will deliver a £6.5m family intervention project that will expand assistance to young carers, help professionals improve support for children of parents with substance misuse problems, offer information on probation and prison services working with children's services to help offenders maintain family ties. There will also be local authority grants to help plan recruitment and training of professionals to help families at risk.

3 November:   Good news about child obesity... for a change   But Lead researcher Professor Klim McPherson suggests, although figures present a more positive picture, prevalence and trends of excess weight are still unacceptably high.

29 October:   The Parent Know How Innovation Fund   The government has announced three new pilot projects to help reach up to five million mums, dads, carers and grandparents get important parenting information and guidance. These projects will run between January 2010 and March 2011, and will sit alongside a range of other telephone helpline and innovative services that offer parents and carers advice and information from reliable sources.

28 October:   New Launch Your Life resource to encourage teenagers to learn how to make long-term financial plans for their futures.   One in three 14-18-year-olds associates retirement with health worries; one in ten associates retirement with poverty. These are the findings of pfeg onine research conducted by Dubit in October 2009. www.2070launchyourlife.org is an interactive website that encourages young people to try and imagine what their lives will be like in 40 or 50 years time so they can develop positive attitudes to long-term financial planning.

27 October:   The first myplace project has been launched in Norwich as part of the government’s £270m programme to offer young people top class facilities around the country.

26 October:    The government has announced a radical change in careers information, advice and guidance (IAG).   The change is underpinned with £10m to help find innovative ways to deliver careers information and education to young people. The strategy will make careers education accessible for today’s generation of young people and aims to keep pace with a rapidly changing economy, ensuring every young person, whatever their background, can aim for the top. You can download the new strategy, Quality, Choice and Aspiration - A strategy for young people's information, advice and guidance here.

25 October:   2009 Teaching Awards UK    Out of 150 teachers, heads, teaching assistants, governors and sustainable schools who were nominated, gold plato awards went to eleven inspirational teachers and one outstanding school at the recent 2009 Teaching Awards UK ceremony.

23 October:   Government intervention to end in Bradford and Hackney local authorities.

23 October:   Dawn primarolo's statement about Ofsted's report on Cornwall's children's services.

22 October:  More schools join the Trust Schools programme   Speaking at the Mutuo Conference in London, Schools Secretary Ed Balls announced a further 114 schools have been given the green light to join the Trust Schools Programme.

21 October:   New kitemark system announced by Ed Balls.   This will allow the excellence and expertise of the best leaders from leading educational institutions and other successful organisations to be spread to ensure that every school is a good school. £20m underpins the accreditation process to enable the providers to ‘drive improvement across the system’.

21 October:   Major step announced towards getting all young people to stay in education and training until they are 18.   Three different models of trials will be run across eleven areas in England, underpinned by £1m of government funding. Each model will use a different approach to getting young people to complete their learning, either in full-time education, in work-based learning such as apprenticeships, or in part-time education or training.

21 October:    Innovative new models will help small businesses take on more apprentices   The government is funding twelve organisations with £7m to set up new Apprenticeship Training Agencies (ATAs) and Group Training Associations (GTAs). Small businesses, especially, will be helped to offer more than 14,000 apprenticeship places over the next three years, focusing on  16- to 18-year-olds.

16 October:   CânSing was launched by Britain's Got Talent star Shaheen Jafargholi and Education Minister Jane Hutt along with ContinYou Cymru’s project manager Suzanne Barnes at Shaheen’s school in Swansea. CânSing is about giving young children more opportunities to sing at school, both as part of activities within the curriculum as well as out of lesson time. ContinYou Cymru is working as a partner in delivering the project.

15 October:  Could Iain Duncan Smith fix ‘broken Britain’? Will Michael Gove let him? Read about the Conservatives’ plans for children and young people laid out at their party conference in Manchester recently.

15 October:   Jean Gross is England’s first Communication’s Champion

14 October:   Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS)   Information about how the new Vetting and Barring Scheme affects people who work with children and young people is available from The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC).

9 October:   Pressing play on new qualifications funding  Children's Workforce Development Council WDC is working to ensure 4,000 playworkers achieve a recognised playwork qualification at level 3 by 2011.  There has been an amazing response.

2 October:   Consultation launched on ContactPoint   Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan today launched a consultation to update the rules governing ContactPoint.

30 September:  Review into current provisions against promoting racism in schools   Ed Balls has asked Maurice Smith, Formerly HM Chief Inspector of Schools and currently Director of Education for the Church of England Manchester Diocese, to lead this review and report back by January 2010.

30 September:  In response to Sir Alan Steer’s recommendations, Ed Balls has championed the improvement of behaviour in schools. There are plans to raise the bar to ensure all schools have ‘good’ rather than merely satisfactory behaviour.

22 September:   National Challenge: results better than expected and on track for 2011. The government plans to accelerate progress in Kent, Leeds and Suffolk; and Ofsted inspections will be triggered where significant decline in results causes concern.

16 September:   Children's Secretary Ed Balls Balls says tuition is 'no longer sole preserve of well-off'    25,000 one-to-one tutors registered in the first ten weeks of the government’s efforts to meet its commitment that by March 2011, 300,000 pupils, overall, in English and 300,000, overall, in maths will be getting one-to-one tuition a year. GCSE students in schools in the most challenging circumstances will also be getting support.

14 September:   Children’s Secretary Ed Balls celebrated the launch of Sure Start Children’s Centre Week. The launch coincided with the start of free childcare for the most disadvantaged two year olds throughout England.

11 September:   Schools Secretary Ed Balls wants more schools to consider the co-operative model. So far, fifteen co-op trusts (25 schools) exist.

10 September:   National Year of Music launched. Ed Balls wants more pupils to tune into classical and pop music.

3 September:   Free school meal pilots start in Newham and Durham   As the new nutrient standards come into force in secondary and special schools, all primary and secondary school children in these two areas will receive free, healthy lunches every day throughout the school year as part of the government’s plan to reduce childhood obesity and improve the health of all children.

3 September:    DCSF to promote benefits of children’s centres to parents. The Department says many parents think they are brilliant but are not fully aware of everything they offer.

27 August:   The first round of safeguarding spot checks on children’s services have been published.    Councils say they want Ofsted to take a bigger role in helping them improve their child protection procedures.

25 August:   89 per cent of seven-year-olds achieve expected level or higher in maths    But more needs to be done to give all children the best start with more one-to-one support.

22 August:   Traveller Health Service in the rural West Midlands, is failing, claim insiders.

21 August:   A new facility is launched on myguide, a free online tool to help parents and carers keep children safe on the internet.

15 August:   Another recession effect?   Non-payment by parents of school bills for breakfast and after-school clubs is leading to activities being cut.

13 August:   Twenty years of children's rights   A special report from Children and Young People Now.

13 August:   Compliance with ContactPoint security   Figures show that 76 of 375 councils have not yet complied with security standards that will allow them to use the Government Connect Secure Extranet (GCSx)

6 August:   Young people don't always know what's on offer    Children and Young People’s Minister Dawn Primarolo called on England’s local authorities to let young people know about where they can in their areas to have fun and engage in activities that interest them.  

30 July:   Parents and carers value childcare and financial support  New DCSF research reports.

24 July:   £5.5m for the 'Generations Together' campaign.   Twelve projects across England have been awarded grants as part of a cross-government scheme to promote intergenerational volunteering and encourage meaningful interaction between young and old generations. 

27 July:   Regional funding for 'School Leavers Guarantee'   Schools Secretary Ed Balls and Apprenticeships Minister Iain Wright called on school leavers to stay in learning during the recession, explaining how investment of over £6.9billion in the education and training of 16-18 year olds will be distributed across the country.

23 July:   Government consultation on young people and alcohol supported widely   Children’s Minister, Dawn Primarolo, published the responses to a consultation on children, young people and alcohol, showing a broad support for guidelines from the Chief Medical Officer on safe levels of drinking. There is also a clear need for government advice and information for parents.

22 July:   Accelerate and expand Family Intercention Projects (FiPs)    Twelve months on from the £100 million Youth Crime Action Plan, Alan Johnson, Jack Straw and Ed Balls called on local authorities to challenge out-of-control families to prevent their children getting involved in anti-social behaviour, crime and violence. 

22 July:   Local authorities get financial boost for out-of-hours (extended) services    Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo, announced the regional breakdown of £167m to boost out-of-hours (extended) services offered in schools across the country. The money is part of the extended services subsidy.  

9 July:   Millions of children are now eating healthier lunches   Schools Minister, Diana Johnson, welcomed the first national statistics published by the School Food Trust measuring food take-up in schools.

10 July:   New £1m ASDA partnership announced    The partnership aims to help provide fun and interesting mobile activities for young people in deprived communities who are typically harder to engage.

8 July:   £5million package of measures to help improve services for children and young people with communication problems.  A new Communication Champion is also being recruited to raise the profile of these issues.