News

Concern over impact of decision to axe 1,000 jobs at DfE

Government policy Pupil wellbeing
About 1,000 jobs are to be cut at the Department for Education (DfE) as part of an efficiency drive by education secretary Michael Gove.

The job losses, which represent a quarter of the workforce, come at a time when the DfE is creating more academies and free schools as part of its drive to move away from local authority control of schools and give schools greater autonomy.

The move shows that Mr Gove is prepared to go further than other government departments in making savings, which will increase the pressure on his Cabinet colleagues to follow suit.

The announcement comes after an MPs’ report revealed low morale within the department and found that constant changes at the DfE were shifting policy away from children’s issues and towards the management of schools.

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