The regional director for London, Claire Burton, has been named as acting director general for the Department for Education’s Regions Group, Tes understands.
John Edwards, who currently holds the role, is taking leave to recover from surgery.
Ms Burton was previously regional schools commissioner for the South East and South London, as well as the chief executive and accounting officer of the Standards and Testing Agency (STA).
Before working at the STA, Ms Burton worked as deputy director for the apprenticeship programme, deputy director and director of the academy programme, and principal private secretary to the secretary of state for innovation, universities and skills.
Mr Edwards was appointed as director general of the new Regions Group in 2022, after the plan for the group had been outlined in the government’s Schools White Paper.
DfE Regions Group leader ‘brings experience’
The White Paper said the group would contain directors in charge of each of the nine English regions. Part of the group’s remit would be to “hold local authorities and academy trusts to account for local delivery for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)”.
The DfE said that Ms Burton would be covering Mr Edwards’ responsibilities until his return, adding that she ”brings a wealth of experience to the role across schools, children’s social care and SEND”.
The DfE’s nine regional directors (RDs) have led the decision making for each area of the country since 2022.
These RDs are each supported by a regional advisory board that holds monthly meetings. The DfE describes the boards as providing a “source of challenge and insight” on academy-related decisions.
For more information about the regional advisory boards and how decisions around the ever-expanding academies system are made, visit our MAT Tracker hub.
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