A DfE spokesman confirmed the departures but refused to comment further.
A report in The Sunday Times newspaper said Education Secretary Michael Gove is planning to encourage people outside government, such as business executives to apply for the permanent secretary role.
According to the newspaper, David Bell has taken up the post of vice-chancellor at Reading University. Jon Coles, the department’s director-general for standards, will become chief executive of the United Church Schools Trust, which runs 11 independent schools, while its subsidiary charity the United Learning Trust runs 20 academies and one technology college.
Sue Higgins, who was the department’s director-general of finance, is to move to the Department for Communities and Local Government and Lesley Longstone, currently head of infrastructure and funding, is taking up the post of chief executive to the New Zealand education ministry.
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