Schools minister takes charge of early years policy
Joe Lepper
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Schools minister Nick Gibb has taken charge of early years policy as part of the reshuffle of ministerial responsibilities at the Department for Education.
The move sees Gibb take on an extended role in the DfE, overseeing early education and childcare policy, support for the early years workforce, early years funding as well as the pre-school curriculum.
Physical education and school sport as well as the pupil premium have also been added to a portfolio that already includes a raft of schooling issues.
This includes the recruitment and retention of teachers, teacher training and workload, the funding formula for schools as well as issues such as sex and relationship education and bullying in school.
Policy around school exclusions, alternative provision and behaviour are also part of his remit.
The early years portfolio was previously held by the role of children's minister, which has been held by three ministers since the summer.
Kemi Badenoch took over the brief from Nahim Zahawi, when Zahawi was appointed business minister in Boris's Johnson's reshuffle in July.
Earlier this month the DfE announced that former education select committee member Michelle Donelan is taking over the role while Badenoch is on maternity leave.
Gibb has been a long-standing DfE minister under three Prime Ministers, David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson.
He was minister of state of schools in 2010 to 2012, returning to the role in 2014 and then appointed minister for school standards in 2016.
National Day Nurseries Association chief executive Purnima Tanuku is urging Gibb to ensure he is able to prioritise early years issues in his extended role, particularly around nursery funding and staffing.
"Nick Gibb is a senior minister with a lot of experience in government and we look forward to working with him to ensure he has a full focus on the issues facing early years," she said.
"He will now be overseeing a large portfolio and we expect the Minister to give equal attention to early years as well as schools. This is the third minister with the responsibility for early years that we have been told about since the summer and we hope he has the chance to get to grips with the funding and workforce crises our work with the sector has revealed.
"Investing early in a child's life can make the most difference to their development and life chances. While education funding has been a recent focus, we will make sure that early years is not being overshadowed and I look forward to meeting with him soon."
Professional Association of Childcare and Early Years (Pacey) chief executive Liz Bayram added: "His portfolio includes all the critical issues facing early years settings at this time - underfunding, the lack of an early years workforce strategy helping the sector recruit and retain the qualified practitioners it needs to deliver high quality work and proposed changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage that risk narrowing the rounded curriculum that our youngest children currently enjoy.
"We hope that, by working in partnership with the sector, Mr Gibb can urgently address these challenges and build on the unique contribution early education makes to children to receive the best start in life."
Donelan's brief includes children's social care, special educational needs and disabilities and she will support Education Secretary Gavin Williamson on issues around apprenticeships and skills.
She retains her role as a government whip, which she took up in 2018.
Meanwhile, Chris Skidmore takes over the universities, science and research and innovation brief held by Boris Johnson's brother Jo Johnson, who resigned last week.
Minister for the school system Lord Agnew will add further education to his brief, including careers advice, school food and safeguarding matters in both schools and further education colleges.
