Head teacher sacked for tapping own child’s hand with fingers wins tribunal...
‘An experienced primary school head teacher sacked for assault after tapping her own son’s hand to stop him playing with a bottle of hand sanitiser was unfairly dismissed, an employment tribunal has...
View ArticleStrip searches: Watchdog urges police to be ‘proportionate’ with children –...
‘Police officers strip-searching children should ensure they act in a sensitive and proportionate way, a watchdog has said.’ Full StoryBBC News, 19th March 2024Source: www.bbc.co.uk
View ArticleClaimant fails in judicial review over SEND Review consultation and...
‘The High Court has rejected a judicial review challenge brought on behalf of a 12-year-old boy with special educational needs to one of the 22 consultation questions contained in the SEND Review, the...
View ArticleSchools in England and Wales using ‘gender toolkit’ risk being sued by...
‘Leading barrister warns that the kit – used to support gender-questioning children – is likely to be in breach of equality laws and could violate pupils’ rights.’ Full StoryThe Guardian, 13th April...
View ArticlePupil registration and attendance – Local Government Lawyer
‘Victoria Guest examines recent changes to the legal duties on schools regarding pupil registration and attendance.’ Full Story Local Government Lawyer, 16th April 2024Source:...
View ArticleHigh court upholds top London school’s ban on prayer rituals – The Guardian
‘A high court decision to uphold a prayer ban at one of the highest performing state schools in England has been welcomed by Rishi Sunak and Kemi Badenoch, who described it as a “victory against...
View ArticleSay a prayer for Article 9? R (on the Application of TTT) v Michaela School...
‘The media reports of the last few months highlight how controversial and charged the decision in R (on the Application of TTT) v Michaela School [2024] EWHC 843 (Admin) is. There is much to unpack and...
View ArticleTwo boys sentenced for killing more than 20 animals at environmental college...
‘Two schoolboys who killed more than 20 animals including rabbits, snakes and birds at an environmental college have been handed a community order.’ Full StoryThe Independent, 18th April 2024Source:...
View ArticleCookery teachers banned after altering pupils’ food – BBC News
‘Two cookery teachers have been permanently banned from the profession after altering pupils’ dishes in a bid to improve their grades.’ Full StoryBBC News, 23rd April 2024Source: www.bbc.co.uk
View ArticleCity college loses JR over Ofsted ‘good’ rather than ‘outstanding’ rating –...
‘The High Court has rejected a judicial review claim brought by a City Technology College, which challenged a decision by Ofsted to rate the leadership and management at the school as ‘good’, rather...
View ArticleNavigating housing rights, education and religious freedom: Ghaoui – Law &...
‘In Ghaoui v London Borough of Waltham Forest [2024] EWCA Civ 405, Mr Ghaoui, his wife and two young children lived in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. They were rendered homeless in April 2019...
View ArticleSchoolgirls treated differently to boys – Ofsted – BBC News
‘Girls at a Bradford primary school told Ofsted inspectors they are treated differently to boys during an inspection last September.’ Full StoryBBC News, 7th May 2024Source: www.bbc.co.uk
View ArticleIn a high-profile ruling, the High Court has rejected a legal challenge to a...
‘The High Court has dismissed a challenge from a pupil at the Michaela Community School, a secondary school in Wembley, London, who argued that a ban on prayer in the school was a breach of the...
View ArticleBanning prayer in school: a lawful interference?- UK Human Rights Blog
‘The case of R (TTT) v Michaela Community Schools Trust [2024] EWHC 843 (Admin) in the High Court before Mr Justice Linden concerned a claim brought by a pupil referred to as a TTT (“the Claimant”)...
View ArticleHomelessness and human rights – Law Society’s Gazette
‘What is the correct approach to determining the suitability of accommodation when the applicant’s circumstances engage rights under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)? This is an issue of...
View ArticleR v Michaela Community Schools Trust: Human Rights and Freedom of Religion in...
‘The relationship between Islam, religious freedom, and human rights has long been a subject of debate in Britain. However, the significance of the latest instalment in this saga, the judgment of R v...
View ArticleParents win fresh hearing of claim of failure to make reasonable adjustments...
‘The First Tier Tribunal “materially erred in law” in its determination of reasonable adjustments claims brought by parents in relation to their daughter.’ Full Story Local Government Lawyer, 7th June...
View ArticleHigh Court dismisses challenge over confinement of free school meals in...
‘The High Court has rejected a legal challenge brought by a group of parents on behalf of their children against a decision by the Mayor of London to extend his Universal Free School Meals scheme for...
View ArticleTeacher given life ban after having sex with pupil – BBC News
‘A teacher who repeatedly had sex with a vulnerable 16-year-old pupil has been told by a judge he will never be allowed to teach again.’ Full StoryBBC News, 14th June 2024Source: www.bbc.co.uk
View ArticlePupils mocked and put in headlocks by school staff – BBC News
‘A senior staff member at an independent school for children with special educational needs has been recorded by BBC Panorama saying how he wanted to drown a pupil in a bath “like a kitten”. An...
View ArticleBoy who attacked sleeping children at private school Blundell’s with hammer...
‘A boy has been found guilty of attempted murder after attacking two sleeping students and a teacher with hammers in a devastating rampage in the middle of the night at a private school.’ Full StoryThe...
View ArticleTribunal “erred in law” by failing to recognise young person lacked capacity...
‘An Upper Tribunal judge has ruled that the First-tier Tribunal “erred in law” by failing to recognise that a young person lacked capacity to litigate and consequently his mother should have been...
View ArticleCPS Statement: Decision not to charge in relation to fatal collision at The...
‘CPS Statement: Decision not to charge in relation to fatal collision at The Study Prep School, Wimbledon.’ Full StoryCrown Prosecution Service, 26th June 2024Source: www.cps.gov.uk
View ArticleThe test for ceasing to maintain an EHCP – Local Government Lawyer
‘Abby Buttle reports on a successful appeal to the Upper Tribunal on the test for ceasing to maintain an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).’ Full StoryLocal Government Lawyer, 28th June...
View ArticleManchester teacher who groomed two boys jailed for six-and-a-half years – The...
‘Rebecca Joynes, 30, was found guilty of six counts of sexual activity with a child, two while in a position of trust, after a trial in May.’ Full StoryThe Guardian, 4th July 2024Source:...
View ArticleAmpleforth inquiry finds alleged serious abuse against pupils in last 10...
‘An inquiry into the running of a prestigious private school said it uncovered a string of “serious abuse allegations” committed against pupils by monks and staff within the last decade.’ Full report...
View Article‘Paying £240 holiday school fine was a no-brainer’– BBC News
‘Mrs Melling and her husband Paul from Leyland, Lancashire, were each fined £120 after taking their children out of primary school for a trip to Egypt.’ Full StoryBBC News, 18th July 2024Source:...
View ArticleLaw and religion roundup – Law & Religion UK
‘Further to the notices relating to Jonathan Fletcher posted by the Diocese of Southwark and the Metropolitan Police, it is perhaps timely to include a link to the Attorney General’s Note, Contempt of...
View ArticleHead teacher suing parents over ‘harassment’– BBC News
‘A head teacher is suing the parents of two pupils over harassment claims.’ Full StoryBBC News, 22nd July 2024Source: www.bbc.co.uk
View ArticleSchool reprimanded after using facial recognition technology to take canteen...
‘A school has been reprimanded by the data protection regulator after using facial recognition technology (FRT) to take cashless canteen payments from pupils.’ Full StoryThe Independent, 23rd July...
View ArticleUpper Tribunal allows appeal as it could not be inferred First TierTribunal...
‘The Upper Tribunal has allowed an appeal made by the parents of a 7-year-old boy with autism, finding that a decision by the First-tier tribunal did not take the child’s negative feelings about the...
View Article‘Depraved’ stretch limo driver who raped and abused UK schoolgirls jailed –...
‘A “depraved” rapist who used a stretch limousine to abuse schoolgirls as young as 12 has been jailed for 24 years.’ Full StoryThe Guardian, 15th August 2024Source: www.theguardian.com
View ArticleOne-word Ofsted grades scrapped in England’s schools – BBC News
‘One or two-word Ofsted inspection grades for England’s schools are being scrapped immediately.’ Full StoryBBC News, 2nd September 2024Source: www.bbc.co.uk
View Article‘Too easy’ for abusers to tutor with 90 caught – BBC News
‘More than 90 private tutors in the UK have been convicted of sexual offences involving children over the past 20 years, the BBC has found.’ Full StoryBBC News, 6th September 2024Source: www.bbc.co.uk
View ArticleParents fail in High Court challenge to permanent exclusion of child from...
‘The High Court has rejected a legal challenge brought by parents over a decision of the Governors Disciplinary Committee (GDC) of a school to uphold the decision of the headteacher to permanently...
View ArticleGrammar schools in England must publish details on entry tests, tribunal...
‘Grammar schools in England have been ordered to publish details about their admissions tests, which campaigners say will expose them to greater scrutiny and potential legal challenges.’ Full StoryThe...
View ArticleThe inquisitorial jurisdiction of the First-Tier Tribunal (HESC) – Local...
‘An Upper Tribunal judge has handed down an important ruling on the inquisitorial jurisdiction of the First-tier Tribunal (Health, Education and Social Care Chamber) in relation to EHCPs. Benjamin...
View Article“Shocking” lack of urgency to trace children missing from education,...
‘The Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel De Souza, has warned that more than 11,500 children in England went missing from education over the course of one year, having “fallen off the...
View ArticleAmmanford school stabbing trial collapses as ‘compromised’ jury discharged –...
‘A jury that has been hearing the trial of a girl accused of stabbing two teachers and a fellow pupil at a school in south Wales has been discharged because of “a great irregularity”.’ Full StoryThe...
View ArticleFight begins to make mobile-free schools law – BBC News
‘Calls are growing to ban smartphones in schools in England by law, as education experts and unions back an MP’s attempt to push a new law through Parliament.’ Full StoryBBC News, 15th October...
View Article‘Obsessive’ schoolboy who attacked teacher and sleeping students with hammer...
‘A public schoolboy who attacked two students and a teacher with claw hammers while they slept at a boarding school in Devon has been jailed for life with a minimum of 12 years.’ Full StoryThe...
View ArticleChristian schools’ legal challenge against VAT on fees – BBC News
‘A independent faith school in Hampshire has launched a legal challenge against the government’s plans to introduce VAT on private school fees.’ Full StoryBBC News, 21st October 2024Source: www.bbc.co.uk
View ArticlePolice reopen Wimbledon school crash investigation – BBC News
‘The Metropolitan Police is to carry out a new investigation into the Wimbledon school crash in order to further examine a number of lines of inquiry.’ Full StoryBBC News, 24th October 2024Source:...
View ArticlePrivate schools vote for legal action over VAT plans – BBC News
‘A group representing 1,400 private schools will press ahead with plans for a legal challenge against the government’s introduction of VAT from January, the BBC can reveal.’ Full StoryBBC News, 31st...
View ArticleSmoking to be banned outside schools and hospitals in England, but pubs get...
‘Smoking is set to be banned outside schools and hospitals in England as part of a crackdown on one of the UK’s biggest killers and its most common cause of cancer.’ Full StoryThe Guardian, 5th...
View ArticleFormer pupil restrained at school wins damages – BBC News
‘A man found to have been repeatedly restrained and once detained for nearly five hours at his former school will receive £18,900 in damages.’ Full StoryBBC news, 10th November 2024Source: www.bbc.co.uk
View ArticleDrivers fined for ignoring ‘school streets’ rules – BBC News
‘Nearly 3,000 fines have been given to motorists for continuing to ignore new traffic-free zones set up around schools in a part of Kent.’ Full StoryBBC News, 12th November 2024Source: www.bbc.co.uk
View ArticleHigh Court rejects judicial review over permanent exclusion for persistent...
‘A High Court judge has rejected a judicial review claim over a decision by a school governing body’s disciplinary panel not to reinstate a teenage boy to his school following a permanent exclusion,...
View ArticleWatchdog ‘appalled’ by use of restraint on autistic children at London school...
‘The children’s commissioner for England has called for an urgent review of the use of restraint and “calming rooms” after leaked CCTV footage showed autistic children being pushed into a padded space...
View ArticleTop London academies face mass claims of emotional harm as Whitehall acts on...
‘The government has expressed alarm at “deeply distressing” allegations of emotional harm at one of the country’s leading academy trusts after an Observer investigation.’ Full StoryThe Guardian, 7th...
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