Gove sets out his stall in new Department for Education

In an introductory letter to his staff, leaked exclusively to CYP Now, Gove told workers that the Tory-Lib Dem coalition marks "a new era for our education system".

"To help us achieve the radical reforms that we will need, I want to refocus the Department on its core purpose of supporting teaching and learning. So I am delighted that we have acted immediately to create a new Department for Education," he said.

"School reform will be our priority but schools only succeed when society is strong, which is why we will also strengthen and reform children's services."

Gove added that he would bring forward legislation on school reforms in the next month.

"In the weeks ahead, I want us to offer all schools the chance to enjoy academy-style freedoms so that heads and teachers across the country can be liberated," he explained.

"We will also work to allow charities, parents and teachers' groups to open a new generation of small schools with smaller class sizes; introduce a new pupil premium which will ensure more funding is targeted to the most deprived pupils; give schools greater freedom over the curriculum; radically reform our exam system so that all schools can offer a wider range of qualifications; and support our great teachers by giving them more powers to ensure higher standards of discipline."

Gove admitted that his plans would be set "against the backdrop of a far tighter fiscal climate", but he promised "an exciting journey ahead".