Argument of the week

There have been a lot of stories about a new organisation which checks that people are safe to work with children.

The new database has been planned for some time. But this week more detail was announced of how it will work. Many people were horrified that parents who take other children to sports meetings or other events might have to be officially checked.

There was a lot of anger that adults did not seem to be trusted with children. The Government has told the organisation to reconsider the rules.

The disappearing river

If you’ve been to London, you will have seen the River Thames, which runs through the city. And you will have seen it on London’s famous Tube Map of the underground train system.

But the latest map has just been released – without the river on it. Many Londoners were furious about it. The city’s mayor, Boris Johnson is also angry. When he returned from a visit to the US, he ordered that the next version of the map should again have the river on it.

He said: "I hope Londoners will imagine the Thames in place until it reappears on the maps, and will not forget their beautiful river."

Sheep in the news

Several young children are in hospital after catching a serious illness at a farm near London.

The farm is a popular day out for families, because children can stroke and feed the animals. There are also play and picnic areas.

Many of the parents of sick children are very angry because they believe health officials should have closed the farm to the public earlier, when the first cases of the illness were reported.

How to make girls do exercise

Schools in Scotland have put hair straighteners in school changing rooms to encourage girls to take part in sports lessons. The pupils were asked what would make more of them do sport regularly.

Girls said that they worried about having “bad hair” after sports classes. It is very fashionable to have perfectly straight hair among UK teenagers.

So three schools have now spent £800 on the hair stylers for changing rooms.

by Susan Young - susan@englishuk.com