The role of Minister of State for School Standards, formerly Minister of State for Schools is a mid-level position in the

Department for Education The Department for Education (DfE) is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for child protection, child services, education in England, educati ...

in the

British government His Majesty's Government, abbreviated to HM Government or otherwise UK Government, is the central government, central executive authority of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

. The current minister is

Catherine McKinnell Catherine McKinnell (born 8 June 1976) is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Newcastle upon Tyne North since 2010. She has served as Minister of State for School Standards since July 2024. ...

History

In the Major ministries, the role was known as Minister of State for Education and Science and Minister of State for Education. In the

Brown ministry Gordon Brown formed the Brown ministry after being invited by Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government following the resignation of the previous prime minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair, on 27 June 2007. Brown formed his governmen ...

(2007 to 2010), the position of Minister of State for Schools and Learning worked at the

Department for Children, Schools and Families Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education. DCSF was repl ...

. In the Cameron ministries, the role was known as Minister of State for Schools. Under Liz Truss's tenure, the role was demoted to a parliamentary under-secretary position known as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for School Standards.

Responsibilities

The minister is responsible for the following: * recruitment and retention of teachers and school leaders (including initial teacher training, qualifications and professional development) * supporting a high-quality teaching profession and reducing teacher workload * Teaching Regulation Agency * admissions and school transport * school revenue funding, including the national funding formula for schools * curriculum and qualifications (including links with

Ofqual The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) is a non-ministerial government department that regulates qualifications, exams and tests in England. Colloquially and publicly, Ofqual is often referred to as the exam "watchdog ...

) * Standards and Testing Agency and primary assessment * school accountability and inspection (including links with Ofsted) * support for raising school standards * school sport *

pupil premium The pupil premium is a grant given by the government to schools in England to decrease the attainment gap for the most disadvantaged children, whether by income or by family upheaval. For each pupil who is eligible for free school meals, or has cl ...

* relationships, sex, and health education; and personal, social, health and economic education * behaviour and attendance and exclusions * early education curriculum and teaching quality * coronavirus (

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

) response for schools

List of ministers

References

{{Reflist Education in England Department for Education Lists of government ministers of the United Kingdom Education ministers of the United Kingdom