2567posts
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"I am determined to ensure that every single child has access to a world-class musical education": Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi on music in schools
The Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi has written about his determination that all pupils should get a world leading music education in our schools. Music is one of the greatest joys in life. Whether you prefer to listen through your headphones …
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How we are helping children stay active through sport and PE
Being active can have a hugely positive impact on both our physical and mental health. That’s why we have announced crucial funding to help children take up and benefit from new sports and activities. Here’s everything you need to know …
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Automatically produce best practice spreadsheets
Learn how to create good practice accessible spreadsheets as part of Reproducible Analytical Pipelines using gptables. Learn about how we developed in the open.
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NHSE/I Standards Directory Alpha Assessment
Read the alpha assessment report for the Standards Directory from NHS England and NHS Improvement.
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Introduction to digital experimentation in HMRC
"Without data, you're just another person with an opinion", W. Edwards Deming I’m Yvie Tracey, the Product Manager on the HMRC Experimentation team and I work alongside Manjot Jaswal, our Quantitative User Researcher and Tim Bryan, our Senior Front End …
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Red Kite chicks in England bound for Spain in reintroduction project
There has been extensive media coverage today in broadcast and print highlighting a Natural England partnership project to translocate red kites from England to Spain as part of a reintroduction scheme to help conserve the species in Spain, including on …
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What the Schools Bill means for academies
Academies are a key part of the school system. They are schools that are Government funded but not controlled by local authorities (councils). Standalone academies benefit from significant autonomy over how they work while multi-academy trusts are groups of …
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Pride Month and social work's essential role
As a lesbian, I always enjoy the visibility that Pride Month brings to those of us who are LGBTQ+ and the support it provides for our communities, families, friends and networks. As a social worker, it reminds me how vital it is for social work practice to protect and promote the human rights of everyone.
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15 years of technological advances since the 2007 floods
June and July 2007. The most severe and widespread inland flooding we have seen since 1947 with more than 55,000 properties flooded, mainly across Yorkshire, the Midlands, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. Many more lost essential services such as …
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Conservation comes full circle - Natural England licenses translocation of red kites to aid conservation efforts in Spain.
By John Holmes, Operations Director The most successful species reintroduction to England ever - the red kite - has come full circle this year, with Natural England licensing the translocation of red kites back to Spain to help bolster low …
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Why is it important to get young women into engineering careers?
On International Women in Engineering Day we celebrate the enormous contribution that female engineers make to the country, and the world. There are so many exciting engineering opportunities available offering a chance to secure a great career with higher wages.
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The latest from the Fertiliser Taskforce
The Fertiliser Taskforce is made up of representatives from industry bodies and the UK's devolved administrations. The taskforce addresses the impact of global supply pressures on farming. It seeks to improve market confidence and help provide farmers with the information they need to make business decisions on fertiliser use. The second meeting of the Fertiliser Taskforce was chaired by Minister Churchill. In this post, I’ll share a summary of the meeting.
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OPSS: Testing Compliance Officer- HEO
The Testing Strategy team delivers across the whole portfolio of OPSS regulatory and testing requirements, covering both Product Safety and Construction Products. The team holds responsibility for the testing strategy and chairs the testing oversight panel, both of which feed …
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Explaining the secondary legislation for the Register of Overseas Entities - part 1
We’ve reached a significant milestone as the first statutory instrument (SI) has been laid in Parliament. Find out what this secondary legislation means and how we're working at pace to introduce the new Register of Overseas Entities.
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Six months in the life of a MyNavy Platform Product Owner
I had been struggling personally with a lot of stuff and needed help but didn’t know where to turn. Having access to the right information and advice through MyNavy on my phone really helped me get the support I needed, …
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UK takes lead to seek global action on nature at COP15 biodiversity conference
There has been straight coverage reporting the COP15 biodiversity conference will be rescheduled to take place in Montreal, Canada in a number of outlets including the Guardian, BBC News Online, Business Green and iNews. The UK Government has welcomed confirmation …
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Learning Disability Week: reminding us to reconnect
Learning Disability Week, in common with many awareness raising events this year, focuses on post-pandemic reconnection. People with learning disabilities and those who support them continue to process the difficulties of the last two years and reacquaint themselves with society.
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Telling the difference between an algal bloom and sewage
Confusing algae for sewage is an easy mistake to make, but there are some tips to telling the difference.
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We’re changing the way we present school and college results data this year – what you need to know about performance tables
In July 2021 we announced that, with exams going ahead this year, we will publish GCSE, AS, A Level and technical qualifications performance data for 2021/22 at school and college level. These are often referred to as league tables, although …
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Promote the vote
I am delighted to have a guest blog from my social work colleagues in Bradford and people with whom they work. Together they have made great progress in making sure people with learning disabilities achieve citizenship inclusion outcomes in many ways, but very importantly, through exercising their right to vote.
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The Metaverse and immersive technologies – A regulatory perspective
Last month, the CMA held the DRCF Metaverse Symposium in partnership with Digital Catapult. Read Jane’s blog for insights from the event on the metaverse and immersive tech.
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Part two: Examining public attitudes towards Smart Data schemes
We have been working with the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to identify the features of ethical and trustworthy Smart Data schemes. Smart Data refers to the “secure sharing of customer data with authorised third party providers …
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Part one: Examining public attitudes towards Smart Data schemes
We have been working with the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to identify the features of ethical and trustworthy Smart Data schemes. Smart Data schemes have the potential to unlock significant benefits for consumers and the UK …
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The civil servant keeping military service in the family
On National Reserves Day (22 June), Ministry of Defence civil servant and RAF Reservist Lesley Woods is proud to be the third generation in her family to serve. From eating a sheep’s head in Jordan to rescuing stranded baby turtles …
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Abbie Evans, Nuclear Waste Services, discusses why workplace inclusion is important for LGBT+ employees
I started with Nuclear Waste Services in January 2022 as a Waste Strategy Specialist. Amongst all the virtual and in-person introductions to my new colleagues both within the Strategic Waste Programme and beyond, as well as induction events, I made …
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Pride at HMRC – Chris’s story.
June is Pride Month, and here at HMRC we are celebrating our LGBT+ colleagues and community. We asked Chris Mahood what it means to him. The importance of Pride I’m a litigation lawyer and manager based in Bristol. I’m also …
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Why Reserves Day is important to me
On Reserves Day, Deputy Director Defra Group Head of Architecture & Standards (and Army Reservist) Steve Reynolds explains what being a Reservist means to him, and how he’s managed to balance his military commitment with a full-time and demanding Civil Service career.
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Inaccurate coverage on the Farming Rules for Water
A recent article in the Guardian (20 June) wrongly claims that the Defra Guidance to the Farming Rules for Water would have allowed farmers to spread manures and slurry on land in a way that would overload it with nutrients …
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Bigger role for DHSC in leading health and care digital service assessments
Following the publication of the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) digital and data roadmap, the DHSC assurance team will start to run all service assessments across health and care, including those with over 100,000 transactions a year. Read more about the changes.
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How we’re helping driving instructors carry out realistic mock driving tests
We’ve published a guide to help instructors carry out realistic mock driving tests.
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UK’s top scientists join forces to battle bird flu outbreaks
In today’s blog we look at the launch of a new consortium bringing researchers from across the UK together to tackle bird flu
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Life as a Reservist
Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 25 June and is a chance to show your support for the Armed Forces community. Since joining the Army Reserves, civil servant Sam Tillotson has honed his leadership skills learned to drive a tank …
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Building digital foundations globally with service standards
At GDS, we use the Service Standard to create user-centred services. Our Advisory International team helps other countries to create their own service standards.
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Four years as a content designer in local government
Hard-won content lessons from local government. Changing the world, one resident interaction at a time.
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APHA, Defra and BBSRC have today announced a major new research consortium in the UK’s battle against bird flu.
APHA, Defra and BBSRC have today announced a major new research consortium in the UK’s battle against bird flu. Eight of the UK’s top scientific organisations are coming together to find new ways to contain bird flu outbreaks, backed by …
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How DIO supports the UK Armed Forces
This week is Armed Forces Week, which provides an opportunity to celebrate the enormous contribution that UK Service Personnel, veterans, and cadets have made and continue to make to the nation. In DIO, we are very proud of our role …
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The SIREN study: Two years on
Two years ago, we launched the SARS-CoV2- Immunity and Reinfection Evaluation Study, known as SIREN, the largest of its kind globally. The study set out to find answers to some of the most important questions about COVID-19. The SIREN study …
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Unlocking the World with our Faces and Fingertips
We are blissfully hurtling around the universe with technology here on Earth and in space, where we literally unlock the world with our faces and fingertips. This got me thinking a little deeper. Being connected online, in most parts of …
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T Levels: What courses are available?
Our ground-breaking new qualifications, T Levels - equivalent in size to three A Levels – are proving hugely popular. We launched the first T Levels in 2020 and now we’ve added new courses to the growing list of subjects you …
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Reflecting on the new Elizabeth line by Alex Milbank
Project Delivery Advisor, Alex Milbank, from the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) shares his experience of supporting the Department for Transport (DfT) in their delivery of the Crossrail project and attending an opening event for the Elizabeth line this May …