The government has finally confirmed portfolios for new Department for Education ministers appointed in Rishi Sunak’s reshuffle. Robert Halfon has been named minister for skills, apprenticeships and higher education and takes on responsibilities for the college system that had been handed to Baroness Barran in Liz Truss’ government. Nick Gibb is minister for schools, while Claire Coutinho is minister for children, families and wellbeing. Halfon takes on the skills brief from Andrea Jenkyns – but holds more responsibilities as he is a minister of state rather than a junior minister like his predecessor. He has taken on duties for careers education, post-16 funding and outcomes, college governance and accountability, and intervention and financial oversight of further education colleges. The DfE has also confirmed that Halfon is the minister responsible for higher education quality and reform, as well as student experience and widening participation in higher education. Elsewhere, Barran has reverted back to being the junior minister for the school system and no longer holds duties for the college system except for safeguarding and student finance. Here’s what’s in each minister’s brief… Gillian Keegan, education secretary Early years and childcare Children’s social care Teacher quality, recruitment and retention The school curriculum School improvement Academies and free schools Further education Apprenticeships and skills Higher education Robert Halfon, skills, apprenticeships and higher education minister Overall strategy for post-16 technical education T Levels and transition programme Qualifications reviews (levels 3 and below) Higher technical education (levels 4 and 5) Apprenticeships and traineeships Further education workforce and funding Institutes of Technology Local skills improvement plans and Local Skills Improvement Fund Adult education, including basic skills, the National Skills Fund and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Careers education, information and guidance including the Careers and Enterprise Company Technical education in specialist schools Relationship with the Office for Students Higher education quality and reform Lifelong Loan Entitlement Student experience and widening participation in higher education Funding for education and training, provision and outcomes for 16- to 19-year-olds College governance and accountability Intervention and financial oversight of further education colleges Reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training International education strategy and the Turing Scheme Nick Gibb, schools minister School accountability and inspection (including links with Ofsted) Standards and Testing Agency and primary assessment Supporting a high-quality teaching profession including professional development Supporting recruitment and retention of teachers and school leaders including initial teacher training Teaching Regulation Agency National Tutoring Programme School revenue funding, including the national funding formula for schools Pupil premium School food, including free school meals Qualifications (including links with Ofqual) Curriculum including relationships, sex, and health education and personal, social, health and economic education Behaviour, attendance and exclusions School sport Digital strategy and technology in education (EdTech) Admissions and school transport Claire Coutinho, children, families and wellbeing minister Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including high needs funding Alternative provision Children’s social care Children in care, children in need and child protection Adoption and care leavers Early years and childcare Family hubs and early childhood support Disadvantaged and vulnerable children Children and young people’s mental health Policy to protect against serious violence Freedom of speech in education Online safety and preventing bullying in schools Baroness Barran, school system and student finance minister Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including high needs funding Alternative provision Children’s social care Children in care, children in need and child protection Adoption and care leavers Early years and childcare Family hubs and early childhood support Disadvantaged and vulnerable children Children and young people’s mental health Policy to protect against serious violence Freedom of speech in education Online safety and preventing bullying in schools