Annual Reports

IoEEmpowering teachers with the skills to use music in the classroom can boost not only music skills in children, but also helps to improve aspects of literacy, particularly reading. 

The New London Orchestra's flagship education project Literacy through Music is aiming to improve primary school teachers' confidence & skills in using music in the classroom, and provide them with methods & activities that they can use to support literacy development.
 
The scheme, now in its second full year, is being run by the NLO, which provided in-service training for teachers.  The previous (first) year's scheme evaluation had found that the children taking part in the scheme had significantly improved their reading abilities compared to those in control groups.  This positive finding led to the NLO organising the professional development programme that built on the evaluation of the first year.
Press release & links
 
BIS: A third of men and nearly a third of women who participated in further education (FE) got a better job as a result.  This is the key finding from The Impact of FE Learning, a new report from the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills.  The report also demonstrated many other financial, personal & social benefits.
Press release & links
 
PC&PE: A report published by the Commons Culture Media and Sport Committee issues an ultimatum to the game of English football: make the necessary reforms within 12 months or face possible legislation.

The Committee reported previously on domestic football governance in July 2011, after concerns were expressed by supporters & commentators about the sufficiency of checks & balances on financial management in football, as well as wider failures of governance.
Press release & links
 
ONS: The latest statistics from the 2011 Census, published last week, provide a new level of geographical detail about the characteristics of the population of England and Wales. The Office for National Statistics is now giving the geographical detail for what are known as 'output areas', as well as for wards, parishes and Westminster parliamentary constituencies.
Press release & links
 
NAOA review by the National Audit Office of ‘early action’ has concluded that ‘this approach has the potential to result in better outcomes and greater value for money’.  Early action is the early deployment of resources by public bodies to prevent problems occurring or getting worse in service provision, rather than spending money reactively once those problems have occurred.
 
Government has signalled its commitment to the principle of early action but there is little evidence of a concerted shift in resources to early action projects, or cross-government coordination, either in consistent definition & measurement or in establishing adequate support structures.   

Determined leadership is necessary to divert resources away from pressing & highly visible current needs, in line with public expectations, towards long-term early action programmes, particularly at times of fiscal austerity.
Press release ~ Early action: landscape review
 
WAG: Within the first few months of being open the Wales Coast Path had already provided more than a £16m boost to the Welsh economy and attracted 2.89m visits, according to new research by the Wales Economic Research Unit.
Press release & links
 
NAO: A report by the National Audit Office has concluded that the Ministry of Defence has taken significant positive steps designed to deal with the accumulated affordability gap in the Equipment Plan 2012 to 2022, and lay the foundations for stability going forward
 
The crucial test will be whether the Department is able to deliver the Equipment Plan within planned expenditure limits, supported by the existence of a substantial contingency provision, over the next few years.  If such a track record is established, which can only happen over time, the Department will be able to demonstrate it has really turned a corner.
Press release & links ~ MOD reveals £160bn plan to equip Armed Forces ~ CBI comments on MOD Defence Equipment Plan
 
Ofsted: A new survey published by Ofsted has found that more needs to be done to ensure disabled young people can access youth work provision available in their locality. The survey report highlights where more could be done in the planning of youth services for disabled young people within a local area.

It is intended to serve as a guide to local authorities & providers to identify the key factors that make schemes successful and adapt local provision accordingly.
Press release & links
Spotlight on women at Serco – Anita’s story