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While need is increasing across Barnet due to crisis, donations have been badly hit, meaning that local Barnet charities need the support of Barnet residents more than ever.    The 2.6 Challenge is a national initiative to support charities on Sunday 26th April, the day the London Marathon would have taken place and raised millions of pounds for UK charities.

With the peak of the pandemic in the UK approaching, and the forecast for warm weather, it is more important than ever that residents adhere to social distancing advice when outside their homes. Council Leader, Councillor Dan Thomas, said: “The way we live our lives has changed dramatically in recent weeks as the nation pulls together to keep the most vulnerable safe.

This year over 94 per cent of children who applied on time for a place at a Barnet primary school received one of their top three choices, and almost 84 per cent received an offer at their first choice of school. Councillor David Longstaff, Chairman of the Children, Education and Safeguarding Committee, said: “I’m extremely pleased that once again every pupil who applied on time in Barnet has received an offer of a primary school place.

Proud to Care London, a partnership between councils across the capital, is highlighting positions available now that will ultimately help the NHS save lives by providing essential care for vulnerable and elderly residents in the community, particularly those recovering from coronavirus.

The Secretary of State paid a visit to St Agnes’ Catholic Primary School, in Thorverton Road, Cricklewood, on 9 January along with Ofsted’s Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman to speak with staff about Ofsted’s new inspection framework which began last September, and about proposals to inspect ‘outstanding’ schools more frequently.

Barnet’s results remain high this year, continuing to exceed national averages, despite a small drop compared to those recorded 12 months ago. Results received so far in Barnet show 98.3% of A-level examinations were awarded an A* to E grade. This is above the national average of 97.6%. 81.4% of students achieved an A* to C grade (above the national average of 75.8%), 59.4% A* to B (above the national average of 51.6%) and 34.5% A* to A. The percentage awarded an A* to A is nine percentage points higher than the national average (25.5%).

Provisional results from the Department for Education show pupils in the borough performed extremely well when based on Progress 8 scores which gauge the progress made by each student during their time at secondary school, placing them top nationally out of 151 local authorities.

The move means the library changes its name and is now situated in a new space in the leisure centre, equipped with improved computer facilities, an on-site café and increased parking. The library, which opened in its new location on 24 September, is one of two partnership libraries in the borough to managed by the charity Inclusion Barnet.

The focus of this year’s Libraries Week is a celebration of the role libraries play in the digital world and the ways in which they are helping to engage people through technology, in building digital skills and supporting people’s health wellbeing and education.

The successful bid for £318,000 of funding will enable the charity to mentor young people aged 10-14 whose siblings are known to the youth justice system. The two-year project will work with young people over an 8-10 week period. However, if a young person wishes to stay in ad-hoc contact afterwards then St Christopher’s will enable this to happen so that they have a trusted adult to talk to. The aim is for young people to feel valued and better able to identify the risks involved in offending, which will reduce local youth offending overall.