Ofqual has today (29 March 2018) published two pieces of research related to the moderation of teacher assessments.

The first is an international literature review of secondary assessments in 23 English-speaking jurisdictions, including in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, Singapore and South Africa. The review finds that a range of different approaches are taken to moderation, providing a variety of levels of assurance in relation to the complex question of how to secure the consistency of teacher judgements.

The second is an observational study of local authority moderation of key stage 2 writing assessments in 2017. It identifies factors that may have affected the consistency of moderation in 2017 and sets out the steps being taken by the Standards and Testing Agency to address these factors.

Dr Michelle Meadows, Deputy Chief Regulator, said:

Securing consistent judgements in non-examined assessments is challenging. Our research shows that a range of different approaches are taken internationally to address this question.

The approach to moderation taken in the UK, both in secondary qualifications and in statutory primary assessment, is similar to approaches taken in many other countries. Our key stage 2 research discusses some of the particular challenges in using moderation to secure consistency and sets out what the Standards and Testing Agency is doing to address these. We will continue to monitor this area.

The Prime Minister demonstrated her commitment to Northern Ireland’s farming industry in a visit to meet local farmers in Bangor today and to hear their views on what Brexit means to them.

She had a lunch of local Northern Ireland produce at Fairview Farm hosted by the Jackson family and representatives of the Ulster Farmers Union, where she shared her determination to secure a deal that would benefit the whole of the UK.

Her visit was part of a day-long tour across the United Kingdom to mark exactly one year from the UK’s historic exit from the European Union.

Prime Minister Theresa May said:

Northern Ireland and the farming industry are integral parts of the United Kingdom’s history, culture and, importantly, our future – which is why I’m here today to speak to farmers and hear their views.

My mission is to deliver a Brexit deal that strengthens the bonds between us and ensures our industries and nations prosper as we forge a new role for ourselves in the world.

Today, I want to hear from people in Northern Ireland about what our exit from the EU means to them. As there is no Executive in place in Northern Ireland, it is even more important that the views of people and businesses here continue to be heard. We remain absolutely committed to restoring a devolved government to Northern Ireland and will continue to work with the parties to achieve this.

I also want to reassure the people of Northern Ireland about my commitment to avoid a hard border and protect the Belfast Agreement. The border is used daily for travel and trade, but it also forms a hugely important part of British and Irish identities, rooted in generations of family history – and this is something that needs to be protected.

Agriculture is one of the most significant industries in Northern Ireland, employing around 48,000 people to work on over 25,000 farms, creating produce which is renowned in quality at home and abroad.

Fairview Farm is comprised of a 300 cow dairy unit and covers 132 acres of grassland.

O Governo Britânico, em parceria com o Fundo Newton, abre as inscrições para o Prêmio Newton 2018. Os países contemplados para a chamada são Brasil, Chile, Colômbia e México. São elegíveis beneficiários existentes ou passados de projetos financiados pelo Newton Fund. O prêmio será concedido para a melhor pesquisa ou inovação que promova desenvolvimento econômico, bem-estar social ou que enfrente desafios globais.

O Prêmio Newton reconhece e celebra pesquisas e inovações de excelência financiadas pelo Fundo Newton, desde o seu lançamento em 2014. Ele busca incentivar pesquisadores e inovadores a participarem como parceiros do Reino Unido e a trabalharem para responder aos mais urgentes desafios globais.

Neste ano, cinco projetos serão contemplados, pelo menos um prêmio para cada país será concedido, no valor máximo de200 mil libras, aproximadamente 1 milhão de reais, o qual deve ser usado para avançar ou desenvolver trabalhos existentes no Fundo Newton. A lista de inscrições será analisada por um comitê independente, liderado pelo Sir Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, um dos mais ilustres cientistas britânicos, vencedor do Prêmio Nobel e presidente da Royal Society de Londres.

“A América Latina tem uma riqueza de excelentes pesquisadores trabalhando em colaboração com o Reino Unido para abordar questões diversas como biodiversidade, saúde e observação da Terra através das parcerias do Fundo Newton na região. Como presidente do Comitê do Prêmio, estou ansioso para descobrir mais sobre esses empreendimentos colaborativos”, afirmou o cientista.

As inscrições, em inglês, são feitas pelo site até o dia 25 de maio de 2018:
http://www.newtonfund.ac.uk/newtonprize/

Thank you Mr President, first of all for convening this debate and for your contribution at this most opportune and important time.

May I also take this opportunity to thank Secretary-General Guterres for his leadership and his commitment to reform on peacekeeping; Chairperson Faki; and to Ms Touré. You gave a passionate, powerful and poignant reminder through your reflections on the role of peacekeeping and how its effectiveness can be improved . And I am sure we all heard your voice, your plea and your contribution in very clear terms.

Mr President, as we mark 70 years of UN Peacekeeping, it is right that we pause, we reflect, on the many lives saved, and on the regions and countries that have been stabilised over the years. There are millions of people living in some of the most challenging places on earth. They have been given hope, they have been given opportunity. This is the proud legacy of the toil and sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of men and women who have put their lives at risk. Some indeed have lost their lives. And why? To protect the most vulnerable.

In this 70th anniversary year, we salute their service and the service of those who support UN efforts through regional bodies, like the AU Mission in Somalia. Over the past 70 years, the challenges that peacekeepers have faced have evolved: disputes are increasingly complex; mission settings are increasingly dangerous; and too often, our collective contribution in this building has failed to keep pace.

Mr President,

UN Peacekeeping is far too important to fail. In recent years, we have indeed made progress – for example in planning and force generation. The Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial Meetings in London in 2016 and Vancouver in 2017 delivered 80 new pledges of personnel and capability. This progress must continue. We welcome the Secretary-General’s call to action this year and also I welcome his statement today on the sharpened focus on the safety and security of peacekeepers, and the UN’s Action Plan to implement some of the recommendations is also very timely. I also welcome the Secretary-General’s statement today to provide regular updates on the delivery of this Action Plan.

And as we embark on this collective effort to improve UN Peacekeeping, the United Kingdom would suggest three areas on which to focus:

Firstly, the Security Council must take its responsibilities seriously, and have the information available in order to do so. We must set clear, achievable objectives for Peacekeeping Operations, and not be afraid to sequence, so that mandates provide the right direction, the right resources, at the right time. We should go further, setting mandates that are more strategic and take a longer-term view. To do this, the Council needs high quality, timely, and accurate information and analysis. We need to work together better to achieve this – both states and institutions.

Secondly, to succeed, Peacekeeping Operations need to be complemented by all the tools that the UN and international community have at our disposal. We need better coordination – at headquarters and in the field – with peacebuilding, better development, and all the other arms of the UN to support. This is why we support the vision and themes underpinning the Secretary-General’s Sustaining Peace Proposals and his Peace and Security Architecture reforms.

And thirdly, we must, we must, improve performance, and strengthen accountability for underperformance. There needs to be a better match between the capacity of the troops, and the tasks they are asked to perform. This requires the Department for Peacekeeping Operations to reinforce work on force generation, on training, and on performance monitoring and indeed on evaluation. It also requires Member States to deliver the capabilities they have committed. We must continue to recognise the essential role of women in ensuring the successful delivery of peacekeeping and engage more women in all components of all missions.

And above all we must, we must stop sexual exploitation and abuse by those sent to protect civilians, and we must offer real protection for women, children and indeed all vulnerable communities, as Ms Touré highlighted in her contribution.

Furthermore, addressing conflict-related sexual violence is equally crucial. The United Kingdom is looking to host an international meeting in 2019 marking progress and next steps, five years on from the Global Summit on Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict. And whilst welcoming the progress made, in particular the UN’s new victim-centred approach, there still remain too many incidents of concern across the UN system.

Mr President,

Through the leadership of the Secretary-General, we have an opportunity to make UN Peacekeeping fit for our times. It is the responsibility of all of us to work together to seize that opportunity – that means the Council, the Secretariat, regional and sub-regional bodies, host states, and those who provide troops, police and financing. And let us not forget those UN Peacekeepers, under the banner of the United Nations, act in the name of each and every one of us. It is therefore our responsibility to ensure they embody the ideals of the UN Charter, because through them we ultimately “unite our strength to maintain international peace and security”.

Thank you.

Dr Gwenda Hughes, Consultant Scientist and Head of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Section at Public Health England (PHE), said:

We are investigating a case who has gonorrhoea which was acquired abroad and is very resistant to the recommended first line treatment. First line treatment for gonorrhoea is a combination of 2 antibiotics (azithromycin and ceftriaxone). This is the first time a case has displayed such high-level resistance to both of these drugs and to most other commonly used antibiotics.

We are following up this case to ensure that the infection was effectively treated with other options and the risk of any onward transmission is minimised. PHE actively monitors, and acts on, the spread of antibiotic resistance in gonorrhoea and potential treatment failures, and has introduced enhanced surveillance to identify and manage resistant strains of infection promptly to help reduce further spread.

It is better to avoid getting or passing on gonorrhoea in the first place and everyone can significantly reduce their risk by using condoms consistently and correctly with all new and casual partners. Anyone who thinks they may have been at risk should seek an STI screen at a sexual health clinic.

Read the full Multi-drug resistant gonorrhoea in England: 2018 report.