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12 April 2026

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In Short

Full list: DfE board member register of interests

Register of interests: Department for Education executive and non-executive directors board members, February 2016 Chris Wormald: Miscellaneous and Unremunerated interests: Whitehall in Industry group- trustee Centre for Science and policy advisory council – member Family member interests: Wife plans to take up a Schools Direct place with the Teach Wimbledon Consortium in September 2016 and […]

New members join teacher pay review body

Three new members have joined the body tasked with recommending pay levels and working times for teachers. The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) provides independent advice to the government on the pay and conditions of teachers and school leaders. It was announced today Philippa Hird and Sir Robert Burgess have been appointed as members for […]

Five things we learned from Nicky Morgan’s evidence to the education committee

Education secretary Nicky Morgan had the honour of being the new education select committee’s first guest of the Parliament this morning. Here’s what we learned from her 90 minute evidence session…   1. We could get more regional schools commissioners (RSCs) Ms Morgan spoke at length about the role of these “eight very proactive individuals”, […]

18 New Free Schools: The Complete List

The latest wave of approved free school applications is as follows… Opening September 2016 – Rugby Free Secondary School, Warwickshire. 1,260 places for 11 to 19-year-olds. Set up by Knowledge School Trust. Opening September 2017 – John Donne Primary Free School, Peckham, London. Almost 500 spaces (including 60 at nursery). Set up by the John […]

Our ‘Top 10’ most-read expert articles so far

It is our first birthday this week and – in typical bank-holiday style – much of England is due to experience a bit of a washout. So to ease you back into school mode, and distract from gathering grey clouds, here’s our ‘Top 10’ most-read expert articles so far. Have a glance through these to remind […]

Institute of Education director to leave post for new university role

Institute of Education director Professor Chris Husbands has been thanked for his “impressive leadership” after announcing he will leave the post at the end of the year. Prof Husbands will take up the role of vice-chancellor at Sheffield Hallam University in January, it was announced yesterday. He said it has been an “immense privilege” to serve as director […]

Tributes paid to union founder

Tributes have been paid to the founding president of the Voice education union. Ray Bryant has been remembered as a man of “great principle” after his death on Sunday, aged 84. Mr Bryant set up the Professional Association of Teachers (PAT), which later became Voice in 2008, alongside Colin Leicester. General secretary Deborah Lawson said: […]

Academy chair and ex-DfE director, Theodore Agnew, appointed by Gove to new Justice board

Sir Theodore Agnew, previously a non-executive board member of the Department for Education, has been appointed to the same role at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), now led by former education secretary Michael Gove. The appointment comes amid a MoJ shake-up – with four non-executives stepping down. During his time at the Department for Education […]

The ‘technicality’ that stopped a school from becoming an academy

The opposition of a single staff member to an academy conversion has halted the entire process – with the Government set to rewrite legislation after the loophole was exposed. Schools Week revealed academy conversion plans at Prendergast School, in Lewisham, London, were halted after parents threatened a judicial review over a breach of regulations. The Department for […]