Baroness Sally Morgan appointed as chair of Ofsted

Morgan succeeds Zenna Atkins, who left the watchdog at the end of August last year.

A former teacher, Morgan has also been an adviser to the global board of children’s charity Ark since 2005. She sits on the advisory committee of the Institute of Education, and is chair of the Morgan Inquiry, which aims to encourage 18- to 24-year-olds to volunteer.

Morgan said: "I am delighted to be taking up this post. Ofsted has a crucial role to play in the drive to raise standards, especially for disadvantaged students. Teachers, parents, pupils, the local community and the government all need to be able to rely on the assessment of a school's performance. Above all, they want to be confident about the quality of teaching and leadership — the bedrock of all successful schools."

Gove, who made the appointment, said Morgan would play a key role in ensuring Ofsted met government priorities of focusing on pupil attainment, teaching and learning, leadership, and behaviour and safety.

He said: "I am delighted to appoint Baroness Morgan to this high-profile and vital post. Sally is a hugely talented individual whose passion is improving education. She will ensure Ofsted focuses on improving our schools so we can match the world’s best, and will help us make opportunity more equal for the poorest."

Morgan is a school governor and was previously political secretary to Tony Blair, a director of government relations and an equalities minster at the Cabinet Office.

She will take up her post at Ofsted on 1 March.