Department for Education and Skills

Department for Education and Skills
Name	Department for Education and Skills
Formed	2001
Predecessor	Department for Education and Employment
Dissolved	2007
Superseding	Department for Education and Department for Children, Schools and Families
Jurisdiction	United Kingdom
Headquarters	London
Minister	Secretary of State for Education and Skills

Department for Education and Skills was a United Kingdom ministerial department responsible for schools, further education and skills policy from 2001 to 2007. It operated within the context of the Tony Blair premiership, interacting with institutions such as Parliament of the United Kingdom, No. 10 Downing Street, Whitehall departments and devolved administrations including the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly Government. The department influenced public bodies like the Learning and Skills Council, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, Office for Standards in Education and agencies such as Ofsted and regional development bodies.

History

The department was created in 2001 when the Department for Education and Employment was restructured under Prime Minister Tony Blair and Secretary of State Estelle Morris. Its formation followed policy debates rooted in earlier legislation such as the Education Act 1944 and the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. Throughout the 2000s it adapted to political events including the 2001 general election, the 2005 general election and ministerial changes involving figures like Charles Clarke, Alan Johnson and Ruth Kelly. Major contemporaneous influences included the New Labour platform, public sector reform agendas associated with Gordon Brown as Chancellor and international comparisons such as the Programme for International Student Assessment and reports by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Organisation and Leadership

The department was led by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, supported by Ministers of State and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries drawn from the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Senior civil servants included Permanent Secretaries who coordinated policy with agencies such as the Learning and Skills Council and non-departmental public bodies like the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the Teacher Training Agency. The department worked with inspectorates including Ofsted and advisory bodies such as the Social Exclusion Unit and the National Audit Office on accountability and performance management. It engaged with universities represented by the Russell Group and the Universities UK lobby, and with trade unions like the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers.

Responsibilities and Functions

Its remit covered primary schools and secondary schools regulated by local education authorities such as the London Borough of Hackney and academies sponsored in partnership with organisations like City Technology Colleges Trust. It set national curricula linked to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and administered exams shaped by bodies like the Joint Council for Qualifications and awarding organisations including AQA, OCR, and Edexcel. Responsibility extended to further education colleges, adult education providers and vocational training shaped by sector skills councils such as the UK Commission for Employment and Skills and employer groups including the Confederation of British Industry. The department managed teacher supply, certification and standards intersecting with the General Teaching Council for England and initial teacher training providers at institutions such as Institute of Education, University of London and University of Manchester.

Policies and Initiatives

Initiatives included the expansion of specialist schools in partnership with private sponsors like the Sponsors for Schools programme, the creation and support of Academies programme launched with sponsors including City of London Corporation and faith bodies such as the Church of England. Policy measures addressed standards via national targets associated with Every Child Matters and performance tables influenced by research from universities such as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and think tanks including the Institute for Public Policy Research and the Centre for Policy Studies. Skills agendas linked to the Leitch Review of Skills and vocational pathways such as NVQ frameworks and apprenticeships in collaboration with employers like British Telecom and Rolls-Royce Holdings were promoted. The department also oversaw sure start children's centres associated with the Department for Work and Pensions and early years frameworks developed in consultation with organisations like Save the Children and National Children's Bureau.

Budget and Funding

Funding decisions were effected through spending reviews negotiated with the HM Treasury and Chancellor Gordon Brown, and allocations were approved by the Treasury and scrutinised by the Public Accounts Committee. The department distributed capital and recurrent grants to local authorities, further education colleges and academy trusts, and channelled funds via bodies like the Learning and Skills Council and Higher Education Funding Council for England. Major budgetary pressures related to workforce costs impacted pensions negotiated with Teachers' Pension Scheme administrators and collective bargaining with unions such as the National Union of Teachers and Unison. Fiscal frameworks were informed by macroeconomic conditions referenced in reports by the Bank of England and international institutions like the International Monetary Fund.

Impact and Criticism

The department's tenure saw increased school funding, growth in school choice mechanisms such as academies and specialist schools, and reforms to vocational routes; analysts from the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the National Foundation for Educational Research produced mixed evaluations. It faced criticism from stakeholders including teachers' unions, parent groups and some local authorities over issues such as classroom sizes, teacher recruitment and the pace of curriculum change; high-profile disputes involved letters and campaigns featuring figures like Neil Kinnock and public commentaries in outlets such as The Guardian and The Times. Concerns were raised by the Audit Commission and the National Audit Office about programme delivery and value for money, while academic studies from London School of Economics and UCL Institute of Education debated long-term outcomes linked to measures like attainment in national assessments and international rankings from the Programme for International Student Assessment.

Category:Defunct departments of the United Kingdom Government