News story: Call for evidence: teacher involvement in developing exam papers

Please contribute your views to Ofqual’s review by 31 October 2017.

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We are conducting a review into current teachers being involved in the development of exams, such as writing papers or questions.

As part of this review we would like to hear from anyone who has relevant insights or experiences to share – your response will be treated in confidence.

We particularly wish to hear from people who:

  • have been involved with developing exam materials
  • have taught alongside colleagues who had access to confidential assessment materials before the exams were taken
  • were taught by teachers who knew, or said they knew, what was going to be included in specific exams

We would particularly like to hear your views on:

  • the relative benefits and risks of teacher involvement in developing exams for qualifications they teach
  • the effectiveness of the safeguards used to prevent disclosure
  • the ability of a teacher who knows the content of an exam to disregard that when preparing their students for the same exam
  • how current safeguards could be strengthened

We would also like to hear from you if you have insights into, or experiences from, other sectors and/or other countries that you believe would be relevant to our review.

All information submitted in response to this call for evidence will be used only to inform our review. We will not investigate any specific complaints or allegations you raise. If you want us to look into a specific incident you should provide us with details using our normal complaints or whistle-blower procedures.

The closing date for this call for evidence is 31 October 2017 at 5pm.



Press release: UK energy statistics: statistical press release – September 2017

Energy Trends and Energy Prices publications are published today 28 September 2017 by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The publications cover new data for the second quarter of 2017.

Energy Trends covers statistics on energy production and consumption, in total and by fuel, and provides an analysis of the year on year changes. Energy Prices covers prices to domestic and industrial consumers, prices of oil products and comparisons of international fuel prices.



Press release: IPO launch new IP resources for universities and colleges

This week saw the launch of a suite of new tools developed by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). The new toolkit will help students, teachers and lecturers explore the relevance of IP in their lives and future careers.

The Future Innovators Toolkit (FIT) provides Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teachers with the resources they need to introduce IP at any point in the curriculum.

Focussing on developing enterprise and employability skills, FIT consists of lesson plans, case studies, research scenarios and PowerPoint slides. These resources raise understanding of managing and exploiting IP and prepare STEM students for Higher Education or their careers.

IP Tutor Plus has also been launched to support university lecturers and deliver consistent messaging on IP. IP Tutor Plus explains what IP is and how it fits into their students’ future careers. It includes slides, lecture notes, FAQs, case studies and wider talking points. The Law, Business & Accounting module is currently available. The Creative, Humanities and STEM modules are coming soon.

The IPO recently launched IP for Research for PhD students and researchers to understand the importance of IP in maximising the impact of their research. The IP for Research programme includes 6 quick guides on the commercialisation process, face-to-face workshops and an IP skills lens.

With IP Tutor, Intellectual Asset Management Guide for Universities and Lambert Toolkit already supporting students, management and collaborations. These new tools complete the comprehensive support for students, lecturers and researchers.

Future Innovators Toolkit, IP Tutor Plus and IP for Research are all available on the Cracking Ideas portal.



Press release: National Justice Museum drives forward Public Legal Education

Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP is in Nottingham today where he will visit the recently reopened National Justice Museum to see how it is helping to educate people about the law.

The Solicitor will observe students taking part in a debate about whether capital punishment should be reintroduced in the UK, and he will also participate in a mock trial on gang violence with students from Nottingham University.

The Museum has devised a program of interactive activities to teach people about the law in an interesting and enjoyable way. Aligned to the national curriculum, the sessions use authentic courtrooms, museum spaces, objects and archives to help pupils gain a practical understanding of the law and justice system

The Solicitor General, Robert Buckland, QC MP said:

Gaining an understanding about how our legal system works and our rights and responsibilities within it is a valuable skill that we can use throughout our lives.

Public legal education gives everyone the opportunity to develop an understanding of the law. Not only does it have a practical and beneficial effect on people’s lives, but also it has a positive effect on our legal system as well. That is why these sessions are so important.

I am really pleased to be visiting the National Justice Museum in Nottingham to see its work in action.

Tim Desmond, Chief Executive, National Justice Museum said:

We are delighted to welcome the Solicitor General to the newly refurbished National Justice Museum, he is a great champion of Public Legal Education and as part of his visit he will have the opportunity to take part in a ‘Gang Violence Trial’ courtroom workshop with students from Nottingham University.

The Solicitor General will also visit the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) East Midlands office where he will commend the Area for its work in tackling serious crime.

The CPS Area’s rape and serious sexual offences team has sustained significant success over recent years, and had the highest conviction for rape in the country, at 64.6% and the third highest conviction rate for all sexual offences. Recent figures show that recorded crime has dropped by 12% in the East Midlands.

The Area covers five police force areas: Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire.



News story: Defence Equipment and Support Chief Executive to depart

The Ministry of Defence has today [28 September] announced that Tony Douglas, CEO of Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), will stand down from the role at the end of this year.

After more than two years in post, he will return to the private sector having led DE&S through the delivery of significant project milestones, including the launch of Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier and the negotiations for the procurement of Type 26 and 31e frigates.

Since joining in September 2015, he has also driven a far reaching, major programme of organisational transformation which is making a real difference to the delivery of equipment and support to the UK Armed Forces.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:

I am personally very grateful for the help and support Tony has provided to me personally and been very impressed by the significant progress he has achieved in his time with the MOD, we will be sorry to lose him.

He is responding to an unexpected opportunity in the private sector which he has decided to pursue and I would not want to stand in his way from taking on that fresh challenge.

I am confident that the momentum he has generated will be maintained by his executive team and, in due course, his successor ensuring that DE&S continues to deliver using the foundations he has put into place.

Tony Douglas said:

It has been a very difficult decision for me to make. I will leave DE&S at the end of 2017 but I will do so having thoroughly enjoyed our time together. We have made very real progress on project delivery and transformation and we should be individually and collectively proud of what we have done.

In part, my decision to leave DE&S has been made easier by the knowledge that it will remain in capable hands. I have decided to leave because I have been offered a compelling opportunity to lead a large and complex organisation in the private sector and in an industry, unconnected with defence, which I know well.

Minister for Defence Procurement, Harriett Baldwin said:

I have very much enjoyed working with Tony Douglas; we have made considerable progress together on the delivery of individual projects and on organisational change. The foundation he has laid allows that good work to continue and I wish him every success in his new role.

DE&S Chairman, Paul Skinner said:

Tony has been an inspiring leader of DE&S, he has brought real innovation to its commercial approach and the way we do business. We are determined to build further on his impressive achievements.

Tony Douglas joined the MOD in September 2015 after being Chief Executive Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports.

The process to find his successor will begin immediately and an internal interim leadership will be put into place to manage the time that will take.