| UK volunteers abroad to get grant Thousands of young volunteers are to get means-tested grants to help some of the world's poorest people abroad, David Cameron announces. bbc.co.uk |
London 7/7 attacks: video of the aftermath released Footage of the Tube trains wrecked in the deadly July 7 terror attacks in 2005 has been made available for the first time. telegraph.co.uk |
Almost one in four primary school boys 'have special educational needs' Primary school boys are almost twice as likely as girls to have special educational needs, government research suggestsAlmost one in four primary school boys have special educational needs, with many suffering from behavioural and emotional problems, government research suggests today.Boys of primary age are almost twice as likely to have special educational needs (SEN) compared with girls, it says.The study, published by the Department for Education (DfE) looked at the numbers and characteristics of children with SEN.The findings show that more than a fifth (21%) of pupils, around 1.69 million in total, have been diagnosed as having SEN. Some 220,890 have statements of SEN.Some 489,250 primary school boys (23.4%) have SEN without a statement, the figures show, compared with 269,890 (13.5%) of girls.The figures are also similar in secondary schools, with 386,730 boys (23.6%) having SEN without a statement, compared with 252,470 girls (15.7%).More than 41,000 primary school boys (2%) have statemented special needs, almost two and a half times the number of girls of the same age (15,600 youngsters or 0.8%).At secondary level, boys are three times as likely to have SEN, with 47,000 (2.9%) given statements, compared with 16,500 (1%) of girls.The study found that boys and girls were likely to have different types of SEN.Boys with statemented SEN were more than twice as likely to have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties or autism than girls.In total, 26,170 boys (17.2%) with SEN statements had behavioural, emotional and social difficulties compared with 3,590 girls (6.2%).Girls with SEN statements were more than twice as likely to have profound or multiple learning difficulties or hearing problems compared with boys.Children's minister Sarah Teather said: "Pupils with SEN are not getting the support they need to succeed and are falling behind as soon as they start school."It is not right that only 5% of young people with statements of SEN go on to higher education. We must change the system so that having SEN or a disability does not predetermine a child's future."Through the SEN green paper we will make sure that children with SEN have the right support at a school chosen by their parents, to suit their individual needs."A damning report published by Ofsted last month found that many pupils in England are being diagnosed with SEN because of poor teaching.It found that as many as half of all pupils identified for School Action, the lowest SEN category, would not be identified as having these needs if schools focused on improving teaching and learning for all with individual goals for improvement.Special educational needsPrimary schoolsSchoolsOfstedSecondary schoolsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Reggae star Isaacs dies aged 59 Reggae star Gregory Isaacs - best known for his song Night Nurse - has died at the age of 59 at his London home, his manager confirms. bbc.co.uk |
Video: Cameron pledges economic 'dynamism' Speaking at the CBI conference in London, the prime minister today urged business leaders to back his strategy for economic growth guardian.co.uk |