Claire Coutinho, the minister for children, families and wellbeing, has been replaced just 10 months into the job as part of a mini government reshuffle today by prime minister Rishi Sunak.
Her replacement is David Johnston (pictured), who was previously chief executive of the Social Mobility Foundation and was elected as an MP in December 2019. He has served on the Commons Education Select Committee.
His new role includes a focus on numerous high-profile areas in education, including special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including high-needs funding; early years and childcare; online safety; and preventing bullying in schools.
Commenting on the reshuffle, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, expressed concern at the lack of ministerial continuity for early years.
“The fact that the early years will soon be on its tenth minister in as many years is beyond frustrating for the sector,” he said.
“The fact that government expects providers to put up with a never-ending revolving door of ministers is bad enough, but to do so as the sector prepares to roll out its biggest early years expansion in recent history is bordering on negligent.
Ministers ‘need clear understanding of EYFS’
“What we need more than ever over the coming months is consistent policy, driven by ministers who have a clear understanding of the early years sector and the challenges it faces. This reshuffle is likely to deliver the exact opposite.”
Nevertheless, Mr Leitch welcomed Mr Johnson to the role, saying that he hoped he would engage with the numerous issues facing the sector.
“There’s no question that Mr Johnston takes on this role at a crucial and challenging time for the sector,” Mr Leitch said.
“Not only are providers preparing themselves for the biggest expansion of the early entitlement in recent history but the sector is facing its most difficult time in decades, with nurseries, pre-schools and childminders closing their doors in record numbers and educators leaving the sector in their droves.”
Born in Whitechapel in the East End of London, Mr Johnston attended Tom Hood School, a comprehensive in Leytonstone, and Sir George Monoux Sixth Form College, in Walthamstow.
From 2003 to 2006, Mr Johnston was coordinator of the University of Oxford’s Oxford Access scheme, which seeks to widen access to the university for under-represented groups, and was chief executive of the Social Mobility Foundation from 2009 to 2020.
He was also a member of the Social Mobility Commission from 2012 to 2017 and was parliamentary private secretary to Nadhim Zahawi when the latter was education secretary in 2021.
