{"id":247497,"date":"2026-06-11T23:00:30","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T22:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/?p=247497"},"modified":"2026-06-12T20:48:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T19:48:20","slug":"wanted-70k-leader-for-dfes-new-policy-testing-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/wanted-70k-leader-for-dfes-new-policy-testing-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Wanted: \u00a370k leader for DfE\u2019s new policy testing team"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ministers have begun their search for a \u201cstrategic\u201d leader of a new team set up to test key policies from the schools white paper<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Department for Education (DfE) is advertising<\/a> for the first head of its \u201ctest, learn and grow unit\u201d.<\/p>\n

Schools minister Georgia Gould is keen to replicate the TLG scheme she introduced at the Cabinet Office. The DfE intends to use the programme to establish \u201cwhat works in communities, rigorously testing effectiveness and championing the best work across the country\u201d.<\/p>\n

The government is now searching for the head of the DfE\u2019s TLG and behavioural insights unit, which will be jointly delivered with the Cabinet Office.<\/p>\n

An advert for the \u00a370,000-a-year role described it as a \u201cnew, multidisciplinary unit\u201d to \u201caccelerate innovation across the education system\u201d, staffed by 15 people.<\/p>\n

It will sit within the DfE\u2019s delivery unit, which is responsible for monitoring delivery on the education secretary\u2019s top priorities.<\/p>\n

Over the next 18 months, the unit will design, deliver and scale \u201chigh impact test and learn projects\u201d. This includes Cabinet Office \u201caccelerator projects\u201d as well as the new north-east and coastal \u201cmissions\u201d.<\/p>\n

The team will also be the \u201ccentre of expertise for behavioural science and test and learn methods, build capacity across the department and develop a sustainable long-term model for embedding innovation in policy and operational practice\u201d.<\/p>\n

‘Getting to the heart of communities’<\/h2>\n

Gould previously<\/a> told Schools Week<\/span> <\/em>that the TLG approach moved away from a \u201ctop down\u201d view of policy, instead working with frontline staff on challenges.<\/p>\n

One issue she said they may look at is exploring barriers to successful transition into adulthood.<\/p>\n

The scheme was \u201creally getting into the heart of communities and making policies together\u201d, she added. \u201cThat\u2019s very much the approach I\u2019ve tried to bring to government.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have been on the other end of it as a council leader, with headteachers saying \u2018that part of government has not talked to that part of government, why has this come down like this?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Search begins for new ‘strategic’ leader to test schools white paper policies <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":311127,"featured_media":247444,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[3806,890,859],"post-theme":[2398],"class_list":["post-247497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-learn-and-grow","tag-schools","tag-test","post-theme-schools"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t