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You and Yours: School admissions, Horse racing, Pensions

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15/01/2016

School admissions, Horse racing, Pensions

BBC Radio 4 - You and Yours, School admissions, Horse racing, Pensions

How are the solutions to the shortage of primary school places working out?

Consumer news and issues. Bookmakers and racecourse owners are locked in a battle that may threaten the future of smaller race meetings.

The union representing most headteachers says the primary school admissions system - under pressure because of a shortage of places - is at best "confusing" for parents and at worst "potentially harmful" to children's education. We report on the rise of so-called "titan schools" - those with more than 800 pupils - up from just 16 in 2010 to 88 today. Reporter Melanie Abbott will be live at the UK's biggest primary school. What's it like to teach and learn there? Why aren't successful academies following suit? We'll hear about parents who feel the system should be better organised and ask how that might be managed.

We'll be at the races to find out about a dispute over how bookmakers should fund horseracing is causing big name bookmakers to sever ties with major racing events. Racecourse owners want bookies to pay more to sponsor races. Its all about the 10.75% levy placed on profits in betting shops that goes to racing events. The figure handed over to racing is in decline as people go online or on the phone to bet where there's no such charge. Those running small race meetings say they're struggling to find alternative funding.

And new research suggests that those retiring this year are feeling the best off that retirees have felt for years. Can that really be true? And if it is, how did that come about?

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