Department for Education
Encyclopedia
The Department for Education (DfE) is a department of the UK government responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education
.
A Department for Education previously existed between 1992, when the Department of Education and Science was renamed, and 1995 when it was merged with the Department for Employment
to become the Department for Education and Employment.
taking on the responsibilities and resources of the Department for Children, Schools and Families
.
, currently Michael Gove
. The Permanent Secretary
is David Bell
. DfE is directly responsible for state schools in England. The predecessor department employed the equivalent of 2,695 staff as of April 2008 and planned to reduce to 2,620 by the end of April 2009.
John Hayes
works jointly between the department and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
.
.
The department's main devolved counterparts are as follows:
Scotland
Scottish Government Education Directorates
Northern Ireland
Wales
Education in England
Education in England is overseen by the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Local authorities take responsibility for implementing policy for public education and state schools at a regional level....
.
A Department for Education previously existed between 1992, when the Department of Education and Science was renamed, and 1995 when it was merged with the Department for Employment
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
to become the Department for Education and Employment.
History
The DfE was formed on 12 May 2010 by the incoming Conservative/LibDem coalition governmentPremiership of David Cameron
The premiership of David Cameron began on 11 May 2010 when Cameron accepted the Queen's invitation to form a government. This occurred upon the resignation of Cameron's predecessor as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Gordon Brown...
taking on the responsibilities and resources of the Department for Children, Schools and Families
Department for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
.
Predecessor bodies
- Committee of the Privy CouncilPrivy Council of the United KingdomHer Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
on Education, 1839–1899 - Education Department, 1856–1899
- Board of Education, 1899–1944
- Ministry of EducationMinistry of Education (United Kingdom)The administration of education policy in the United Kingdom began in the 19th century. Official mandation of education began with the Elementary Education Act 1870 for England and Wales, and the Education Act 1872 for Scotland...
, 1944–1964 - Department of Education and Science, 1964–1992
- Department for Education, 1992–1995
- Department for Education and Employment (DfEE), 1995–2001
- Department for Education and Skills (DfES), 2001–2007
- Department for Children, Schools and FamiliesDepartment for Children, Schools and FamiliesThe Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
(DCSF), 2007–2010
Responsibilities
The department is led by the Secretary of StateSecretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
, currently Michael Gove
Michael Gove
Michael Andrew Gove, MP is a British politician, who currently serves as the Secretary of State for Education and as the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for the Surrey Heath constituency. He is also a published author and former journalist.Born in Edinburgh, Gove was raised in Aberdeen...
. The Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
is David Bell
David Bell (British civil servant)
Sir David Robert Bell KCB is Permanent Secretary at the British Department for Education. He took up his post on 3 January 2006. He was previously Chief Inspector of Schools at the Office for Standards in Education...
. DfE is directly responsible for state schools in England. The predecessor department employed the equivalent of 2,695 staff as of April 2008 and planned to reduce to 2,620 by the end of April 2009.
Ministers
The Department for Education's Ministers are as follows:| Minister | Rank | Portfolio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Rt Hon Michael Gove Michael Gove Michael Andrew Gove, MP is a British politician, who currently serves as the Secretary of State for Education and as the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for the Surrey Heath constituency. He is also a published author and former journalist.Born in Edinburgh, Gove was raised in Aberdeen... MP |
Secretary of State | Overall responsibility | |
| Sarah Teather Sarah Teather Sarah Louise Teather is a British Liberal Democrat politician, Member of Parliament for Brent Central, Minister of State at the Department for Education, and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Guantanamo Bay.... MP |
Minister of State | Children and families | |
| Nick Gibb Nick Gibb Nicolas John "Nick" Gibb is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton... MP |
Minister of State | Schools | |
| John Hayes John Hayes John Hayes may refer to:In academia:* John Hayes , British art historian and museum director, expert on GainsboroughIn entertainment:* John Hayes , American director of low-budget films... MP |
Minister of State | Further education, skills and lifelong learning | |
| Tim Loughton Tim Loughton Timothy Paul Loughton is a British Conservative Party politician, and has been Member of Parliament for East Worthing and Shoreham since the 1997 general election... MP |
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State | Children and young families | |
| Lord Hill of Oareford Jonathan Hill, Baron Hill of Oareford Jonathan Hopkin Hill, Baron Hill of Oareford, CBE is a British politician and is currently Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools in the Department for Education.-Early life:... CBE |
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State | Schools (including academies) |
| Key | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|---|---|
| Liberal Democrat Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the... |
John Hayes
John Hayes
John Hayes may refer to:In academia:* John Hayes , British art historian and museum director, expert on GainsboroughIn entertainment:* John Hayes , American director of low-budget films...
works jointly between the department and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is a ministerial department of the United Kingdom Government created on 5 June 2009 by the merger of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .-Ministers:The BIS...
.
Executive board
the executive board:- Permanent SecretaryPermanent SecretaryThe Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
- David BellDavid Bell (British civil servant)Sir David Robert Bell KCB is Permanent Secretary at the British Department for Education. He took up his post on 3 January 2006. He was previously Chief Inspector of Schools at the Office for Standards in Education... - Director-General for Children and Families - Tom Jeffery
- Director-General for Schools - Jon Coles
- Director-General for Young People - Lesley Longstone
- Director-General for Corporate Services - Sue Higgins
- Director of Communications - James Frayne
Locations
, the DfE has four main sites:- Castle View House, Runcorn
- 2 St Paul's Place, Sheffield
- Mowden Hall, Darlington
- Sanctuary Buildings, London
Devolution
Education, youth and children's policy is devolved elsewhere in the UKUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The department's main devolved counterparts are as follows:
Scotland
Scottish Government Education Directorates
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
- Department of EducationDepartment of Education (Northern Ireland)The Department of Education is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive...
- Office of the First Minister and deputy First MinisterOffice of the First Minister and deputy First MinisterThe Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive with overall responsibility for the running of the Executive...
(children and young people)
Wales