THAT F WORD AGAIN Childcare minister Nadhim Zahawi may have not got the response he was expecting when tweeting last month. ‘Breaking: The number of parents securing a code for 30 hours of free childcare has risen to over 377,000,’ he said, adding it was ‘saving hardworking parents money’. The tweet received 81 comments, most of which did not share his excitement. ‘Absolutely brilliant scheme with absolutely no thought whatsoever about the cost to provide those spaces’ said one; another said, ‘It’s not free, it’s not free, it’s not free…how many times do you need to be told before you will listen?’
#INSTAMINISTA Meanwhile Sam Gyimah, the former childcare minister, has won plaudits from Conservative HQ for his use of Instagram. ‘Not quite what I asked Santa for,’ he posted at Christmas, underneath a picture of a red briefcase on some beige-carpeted stairs. This is given as an example of how to be ‘unique and playful’ in a leaked document encouraging MPs to show they are ‘real people’ on the social media platform. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson also won praise after trailblazing a picture of his new lawnmower…
RIGHT OFF THE JOB Apprentices are not in vogue in Peterborough. Around a dozen settings in the town are considering not taking any because of new off-the-job training rules, where apprentices are paid for five days and work four. Designed to allow apprentices to brush up their theory, the rules haven’t gone down well with the NDNA network chair, who says, ‘The whole thing is just too expensive.’
SUGAR OR CIGARETTES? Ten-year-olds are managing exam stress by sparking up instead of eating breakfast, according to Frosties-maker Kellogg’s. According to a survey designed to promote its breakfast club scheme, 2 per cent of ten-year-olds claim to opt for fags instead of food, while four per cent choose energy drinks or coffee.
