Education secretary Gavin Williamson and his ministers are all back at the Department for Education after the general election, it has been confirmed.
Their jobs could be up for review again in February when a big post-Brexit government reshuffle is expected. But, for now, stability reigns.
The DfE announced today that the entire ministerial team would keep their jobs following last week’s Conservative election victory. That includes Nick Gibb, minister for school standards, and Lord Agnew, minister for the school system (who, as a peer, was unaffected by the election).
Only yesterday, the DfE said there would be no routine announcements because there was no ministerial team in place. However this afternoon it confirmed that all ministers were back in post.
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Mr Williamson was today seen arriving in Downing Street for the first post-election cabinet meeting. His agenda includes increasing spending on schools by £7.1 billion over the next three years, as well as increasing NQT starting salaries by £6,000 and the introduction of no-notice Ofsted inspections.
Also in post again is Kemi Badenoch, minister for children and families, who is currently on maternity leave, and whose post is being covered by Michelle Donelan.
The DfE confirmed a new special adviser for Mr Williamson would be recruited “in due course” following the election of one of his previous advisers, Richard Holden, as the new Conservative MP for Durham North West.
Geoff Barton, Association of School and College Leaders general secretary, said: “Congratulations to Gavin Williamson on his reappointment as education secretary. We look forward to working constructively with him on behalf of schools and colleges.
“We have written to Mr Williamson and the prime minister to say that a genuine one-nation approach to policy will help to achieve what we haven’t yet managed as a society - to enable the education system to deliver on behalf of those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds for whom education may never have been seen as relevant or attractive.
“There is a great opportunity to take our education system from being good to being world-leading by focusing on an agenda which delivers for all our young people.”
