The Institute for Teaching – which has received government funding to set up bespoke training programmes for teachers – will support and spread great teaching.

Its courses will be available for teachers at all stages of their career, including those wishing to become experts in their subject or wanting to learn the most effective ways to share best practice.

This investment in the profession is part of the government’s wider drive to build an education system that creates clear and rewarding career pathways for the people entering and progressing in teaching. It aims to provide support not just in those areas that are already set up to succeed, but – more importantly – in the areas where it is needed most.

Addressing an audience of teachers in Manchester, Education Secretary Justine Greening said:

It is an honour to launch the Institute for Teaching and see first-hand how thousands of teachers will benefit from these new training opportunities. We want to ensure every child can reach their potential, wherever they are growing up and great teachers are at the heart of this.

I want high-quality professional development to be a fundamental part of a teacher’s career and these new programmes – backed by government funding – will give them the skills, confidence and knowledge they need to provide a world class education for all children.

The Institute for Teaching will operate mainly in the North and central England, including in the Education Secretary’s Opportunity Areas which have been identified as social mobility ‘cold spots’.

The Institute for Teaching has received government funding as part of the £75 million Teaching and Leadership Innovation Fund. This fund supports new programmes to deliver knowledge and skills-based training for teachers. The first eight projects to benefit from the fund have now been announced and include programmes focused on leadership, managing challenging pupil behaviour, improving the quality of teaching and phonics.

Director of the Institute of Teaching, Matt Hood said:

Having an expert teacher in every classroom is the best way to make sure that every pupil, regardless of their background, gets a great education. But teaching is complex – becoming an expert isn’t easy. To improve teaching, we have to improve the training teachers get because most of what’s out there isn’t helping them to get better. Working with our partners, we’re trying to change that.

Servicemen and women descended upon the capital today to lend their support to The Royal British Legion’s (TRBL) annual London Poppy Day.

Around 980 personnel from the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force greeted commuters at underground and mainline railway stations across London. It was part of a bid to raise more than £1 million for TRBL in 24 hours.

The day began with the official fundraising launch in Covent Garden, where Service personnel joined celebrity supporter Phil Daniels, star of Quadrophenia and EastEnders. At noon fellow EastEnders actors Barbara Windsor and Shane Richie visited Liverpool Street Station, where The Band of the Parachute Regiment performed.

Military bands played at a number of stations to brighten up the day for those heading to work while uniformed collectors gathered donations. Defence Minister Harriett Baldwin showed her support at Westminster tube station in the morning while Defence Ministers Earl Howe, Mark Lancaster and Tobias Ellwood helped the fundraising efforts at Waterloo Station at lunchtime. The Band of the Grenadier Guards livened up the busy Waterloo concourse in support of the appeal.

Scotland’s capital city was also awash with poppies for Edinburgh Poppy Day, with military volunteers collecting on the streets, transport hubs and shopping centres.

Remembrance Sunday falls on 12 November this year and members of the Armed Forces around the world will mark the occasion. Today’s Armed Forces are inspired by their predecessors and continue the proud traditions of service and achievements of those who have gone before them.

Undulate ray scientific research quota available.

Farmers, foresters and landowners are today being encouraged to plan ahead for the next round of funding for woodland creation, which opens for applications in just two months.

From 2 January 2018, landowners can apply for up to £6,800 per hectare to plant and protect more trees under the Countryside Stewardship Woodland Creation Grant – a scheme to help landowners make the most of their land and reap the benefits of woodland creation.

Not only do woodlands help to protect wildlife, improve water quality and manage flood risk, they also offer landowners an alternative source of income, help to boost timber production, and bring economic growth to rural areas.

Richard Greenhous, Forest Services Director for the Forestry Commission, said:

By investing in tree planting now, landowners can both benefit financially and help to secure a brighter future for our environment.

I would encourage landowners to talk to their local Woodland Officer and start planning now before the scheme opens for applications to be submitted in January.

We have made guidance available much earlier this year and brought in a number of improvements to the scheme – and our Forestry Commission teams are on hand to provide advice and support throughout the process.

The Woodland Creation Grant is open to all land managers, and successful applicants will receive a two-year capital grant, alongside an opportunity to apply for annual maintenance payments for ten years.

Guidance and application forms for the scheme were made available in September to give potential applicants more time to develop their plans, and a number of improvements have been made this year to make it easier to apply.

Applicants can contact the Forestry Commission for further advice and assistance.

Alongside the Woodland Creation Grant, landowners can also apply for the Woodland Creation Planning Grant to help with planning and proposals, as well as the Woodland Carbon Fund – a scheme designed to encourage large-scale planting and reduce our carbon footprint.

The Forestry Commission has appointed a new team of specialised woodland creation officers to assist landowners through the application process for large scale projects.

More information on the funding options available is on the Forestry Commission website.

The number of households moving off the cap and into work is continuing to rise since the cap’s introduction in 2013.

The benefit cap incentivises work, including part-time work, as anyone eligible for Working Tax Credit (or the equivalent under Universal Credit) is exempt.

Work and Pensions Secretary, David Gauke said:

It is fair that people out of work face the same choices as those in work, and putting a cap on how much someone can receive in benefits restores that balance.

Behind today’s figures are thousands of success stories as people start new jobs, and benefit from a regular wage for their families.

They are part of the 3 million people who have moved into work since 2010 and show our commitment to supporting even more people across the country into employment and on the right path to improving their lives.

The benefit cap limits the amount that most people aged 16 to 64 can receive in benefits to £20,000 a year outside London, and £23,000 in Greater London.

Since the introduction of the cap in April 2013, 160,000 households have had their benefits capped. Around 94,000 of these are no longer capped, with 39,000 households having moved into work.

The benefit cap is set at £20,000 a year outside London and £23,000 in Greater London to reflect higher rent costs. This is the equivalent salary of £25,000, or £29,000 in London.

Anyone working and receiving Working Tax Credit is exempt from the cap, as are households where someone receives Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or the support component of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Those claiming Carer’s Allowance or Guardian’s Allowance are exempt from the cap.

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