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
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