• One of the UK's most prominent QCs is leading an inquiry into a Roman Catholic private school after the Independent Schools Inspectorate identified six cases of alleged abuse by monks and teachers, some of whom continued to live at the abbey or teach despite convictions or covenants banning them from contact with children. A Times investigation revealed how one monk, jailed last year for sex offences spanning four decades, was able to sexually exploit a pupil despite years of concern about his behaviour. Times


• At least two councils - that of Sandwell in the West Midlands and Nottingham City Council - are threatening legal action unless Gove reverses the decision to cancel building plans for schools in their areas. Liverpool Council is not considering legal action but said it 'would not give up' trying to overturn a decision to cancel building in 26 of its schools. Guardian


• The Guardian's case study of Sats results: a South Yorkshire head explains why the results hide the achievements of his pupils. Guardian


• Harrow council's decision to make secondary school meals halal has been criticised by Muslim leaders. A spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain commented that 'those who do not wish to consume halal should similarly be afforded freedom and choice' and the president of the Halal Food Authority also defended the rights of non-Muslims to choose what they ate. Times


• Parenting groups have criticised Tesco for selling a mini-skirt as part of a school uniform range targeted at girls as young as nine. The skirt is less than a foot in length, and stitched in some places to raise it higher; it is over 10cm shorter than skirts sold by Asda and Sainsbury's as part of their school uniform ranges. Telegraph


• The Guardian Datablog maps the schools which have expressed an interest in becoming academies. Guardian

• Three quarters of university heads think that public spending cuts will lead to the disappearance of some institutions but almost none think their own institutions will fail. Two thirds of the 43 university heads questioned said they planned to develop a stronger international presence. Around 60% named their inability to move 'intransigent staff' among their three greatest concerns. BBC

• ContactPoint, the £224 million government database which holds the details of all £11 million children in England was today scrapped. It was established under Labour in the wake of the Victoria Climbie child abuse scandal to allow teachers, police officers and social workers to access children's details and coordinate who was working with the children. Telegraph


• A teenager shaken so violently by her father when she was a baby that she is severely disabled and needs round-the-clock care has failed in her £4 million compensation claim that social workers were negligent. Had the application been made earlier, she would have been due far more than the £500,000 she received, but social workers concentrated on keeping the family together - and were praised by the judge for their 'impressive' work. Times


• Immigration officials are to pilot an ultimatum which encourages families with children facing removal to leave the country voluntarily within two weeks. If they fail to go, they will be deported without notice at some point in the following two weeks. A pilot scheme has been running in north-west England since early July as part of the review of alternatives to child detention. Refugee groups are concerned about the short time period given for families who may have been living in the country for years. Guardian


• The BMJ has contradicted WHO advice to women who miscarry by suggesting that they should try to become pregnant again soon rather than waiting for months. The study claims that would-be mothers who conceive within six months of a first miscarriage are more likely to have a successful and uncomplicated subsequent pregnancy. About half of miscarriages have a genetic cause and others happen for hormonal, immunological or anatomical reasons. Guardian


• A study published this week by Dr Catherine Hakim of the London School of Economics has found that men do slightly more work than the women they live with when employment and domestic work are measured together. Neil Lyndon heralds the end of 'the long night of modern feminism'. Telegraph

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