School Survival

The number of pupils in independent schools seems to be rising slightly - despite expectations that they would face a downturn during the recession. A survey of schools belonging to the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) showed a year-on-year increase in pupils of 0.5%. But it did find about 1,140 pupils had left because of […]

Local authorities paid out just £293.44 per year following problems on school trips, research finds Children are being denied school trips for fear teachers will be sued if something goes wrong, despite the fact that only 156 recorded legal actions have ended in compensation in the past decade, new research reveals. A culture of fear […]

A man and woman arrested in Oklahoma on allegations of abusing the woman's 14-year-old son have admitted to police that they repeatedly beat the boy. In a probable cause affidavit released Wednesday, 37-year-old LaRhonda McCall told police she beat the teen numerous times on his chest, back and legs over the last three years. She […]

Use of brain-enhancing drugs is on the rise, and a ban wouldn't work, expert warns Students are using smart drugs to boost the performance of their brains. Students are increasingly using brain-boosting drugs – and they're virtually impossible to ban, an expert warned today. Drugs normally used for conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and attention […]

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A 17-year-old Taiwanese boy has been arrested for chopping off his father's hands, allegedly to avenge years of physical abuse, a police official said Tuesday. The boy cut through his father's wrists with a knife while he was asleep at the family's home in central Miaoli on Monday, the official said. The […]

A school governor has called for a ban on parents drinking alcohol while picking up their children. Arthur Mitchell, chairman of the board of governors at Doncaster Road primary school in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, said a street drinking ban had been proposed after police received reports that parents had been seen drinking at the school's […]

Calling for 2010 to be proclaimed the International Year of the Youth, Tunisia's Foreign Minister today urged the United Nations and its Member States to boost their efforts to ensure that young people do not feel marginalized and become attracted to extremism. Abdelwaheb Abdallah told the General Assembly's annual high-level segment, held at UN Headquarters […]

(Previously mentioned here) Teenage sailor Jessica Watson is expected to reach the halfway point in her trial run to Sydney on Friday night. The 16-year-old will pass Coffs Harbour on Friday evening, as her online blog clocks up around 114,000 hits a day from virtual spectators around the world. She set sail from the Gold […]

CHICAGO (Sept. 28) – Three teenagers were charged Monday in the beating death of a 16-year-old Chicago honor roll student on his way home from school, a melee captured on a cell phone video that shows a group striking him with boards and kicking him as he lay on a sidewalk. The death of Derrion […]

I received this via email: I just wanted to let you know about North Star in Hadley, MA. My son started there this fall. It is Self Directed Learning for teens and is one of the boldest and cutting edge approaches to educating Middle and High Schoolers. Basically, we are a family that left school last […]