While it would be a stretch to compare the Department for Education to the hit fantasy series Game of Thrones, there’s going to be some almighty jostling for power at Sanctuary Buildings soon.

Instead of the King of the Seven Kingdoms, read Peter Lauener. The softly-spoken Scot has spent more than 40 years perfecting the dark arts of the civil service, and over the last decade has wielded significant powers in and around the DfE. Indeed, for some time he held three major CEO roles simultaneously, grabbing every organisation with an acronym ending in “FA” he could get his hands on.

But, inevitably, power fades. Understandably keen to spend more time on the allotment than the apprenticeship levy, Lauener has been eyeing up retirement for some time now.

And last week, his replacement at the helm of the Education and Skills Funding Agency was confirmed as Eileen Milner, an executive director at the Care Quality Commission, who will take over the role in November.

No trial by combat

That leaves just his other throne at the Institute for Apprenticeships to fill. FErret understands that interviews are expected to take place in the coming weeks - sadly, there’ll be no trial by combat - with the new supremo likely to be appointed by winter’s end.

All these machinations mean that an almighty power vacuum will be created. Seasoned DfE-watchers have reacted with some scepticism to Milner’s appointment, sniffing at her current role in customer and corporate services - a far cry from the front line of education funding.

So who else could fill the Lauener-shaped hole at the top of the DfE? Earlier this year, three very well-paid new director jobs were advertised in the FE/HE directorate, covering apprenticeships; technical and professional education; and careers and FE, respectively. Could one of these figures be the DfE’s next rising star? And now an expansion of the powers of FE commissioner Richard Atkins also appears to be on the cards (see pages 54-55). All we know for sure is that as Lauener departs, it’s all to play for.

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