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Free school 'takes measures' to address concerns
A free school ordered to close by the Department of Education has said that it "echoed its concerns" regarding "inadequate" education being provided by the school in West Sussex.
The Discovery New School's chair of governors Chris Cook responded to Schools Minister Lord Nash's "grave concerns":
Since the monitoring inspection by Ofsted on 12 September the Governors of Discovery New School (“The Academy”) took the decision to suspend the Headteacher [...] pending an investigation as it is clear that trust and confidence may have been lost.
I would reflect that in the past eight weeks a real sea change in how the school perceives itself has taken place. I am pleased therefore to present to you a Further Action Statement which we believe properly addresses all the points raised by Ofsted.
UK funding at one point 'won't help Syria any more'
Sherif Elsayed-Eli of Amnesty International has told ITV News that there is a point where UK funding for Syrian refugees "won't help any more", after the Prime Minister defended Britain's support to the country. He added that Lebanon, who has taken the brunt of refugees, "cannot cope any more".
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Failing free school 'not in the best interest of student'
There were "grave concerns" about education standards at a West Sussex free school, which has been ordered to shut in the first of such case in England.
Schools Minister Lord Nash said he was terminating the Discovery New School's funding agreement. In a letter to the school's chairman of governors Chris Cook, he wrote:
None of the school's teachers were delivering good lessons and all were still consistently inadequate or required improvement.
I recognise that my decision to terminate the funding agreement is likely to be disappointing for pupils, parents and all those involved with the school, but I will not allow a failing school to continue with no clear, workable plan to improve rapidly. It is not in the best interests of pupils to remain in an inadequate school.
West Sussex failing free school 'did not show changes'
The Department of Education is working with West Sussex County Council to ensure children affected by the closure of a free school will have suitable alternatives, a spokesman said today.
Discovery New School was one of the first 24 free schools - a flagship education policy of the coalition Government - to open in 2011.
– Spokesman, Department of EducationSince the school was placed in special measures by Ofsted in May, we have monitored progress closely.
The trust has not provided evidence they are making the changes required. [Schools Minister] Lord Nash has today notified the trust that the department will terminate its funding agreement at the end of the spring term.
Read more: Failing free school in West Sussex ordered to shut
Failing free school in West Sussex ordered to shut
The Department for Education today said it had told the Discovery New School in West Sussex that it must close after expressing "grave concerns about the standards of education" it was offering.
Discovery New School in Crawley, West Sussex, has been told it must shut its doors on April 4 - the first time this kind of action has been taken.
In a letter to the school's chairman of governors, Chris Cook, Schools Minister Lord Nash said he was terminating its funding agreement. Discovery New School was declared failing and placed in special measures by watchdog Ofsted in May.
Full batch lists of recalled Tixylix medicines
The manufacturer Tixylix toddler and baby medicines has issued a full list of batch numbers of medicines which may have been contaminated
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Weather: Rain clearing with brighter spells to follow
The weather is set to become drier over the next 24 hours, but there will be frost overnight for many parts of the UK.
ITV weather presenter Sian Lloyd has the latest forecast:
Russia says Ukraine must overcome 'tectonic split'
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday that Ukraine must overcome a 'tectonic split' in the country that threatens the existence of the state, Russian news agencies reported.
Speaking at a meeting with his Belarussian counterpart, Medvedev said the appearance of European politicians at protests in Kiev against the government's decision to spurn a landmark EU deal in favour of closer ties with Russia, was "crude interference" in Ukraine's internal affairs.
Read more: Ukraine's president to hold talks on political crisis
Cameron: Universities UK should review its guidance
The Prime Minster's spokesmen made clear that the PM wants a ban on gender-segregated audiences on campus even where men and women voluntarily separate themselves, but stressed that his comments did not relate to places of worship.
– The PM's spokesman told a daily Westminster media briefing[The Prime Minister] does not believe that guest speakers should be allowed to address segregated audiences, so he believes that Universities UK should urgently review its guidance.
Cameron: No to gender segregated university audiences
Guest speakers should not be allowed to address gender segregated audiences in universities, David Cameron has said.
The Prime Minister is urging Universities UK urgently to review guidance which endorsed the voluntary separation of men and women in audiences for debates and lectures involving Muslim speakers on campus.
Mr Cameron's comments come after Education Secretary Michael Gove denounced the guidance as "pandering to extremism" and called for it to be withdrawn.
