Response from Rt. Hon. Baroness Jacqui Smith, Secretary of State for Education (FE & Skills sector - July 2024)

21 November 2024

31 July 2024

Dear Mr Noble-Rogers,

Thank you for your kind correspondence of 16 July, in which you offered your congratulations regarding my appointment to the Department for Education. I hope you enjoyed the reception on 11 July. It is a privilege to serve, and I am looking forward to working with you as we deliver on our manifesto commitments.

Opportunity must be for all – and not just for the privileged few. Furthermore, we know that individuals cannot achieve their full potential and the economy cannot grow unless we can deliver world class skills, further education (FE) and higher education. This will be my particular focus. The ministerial team has already begun work with departmental officials to put education back at the forefront of national life and deliver better life chances for all.

I know you will agree that high-quality Initial Teacher Education is of vital importance for building the supply and quality of teachers in the skills sector and attracting the best possible new entrants to the teaching profession. I am grateful for all the work that the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers does to provide leadership and champion high quality standards in teacher training, and I very much appreciate the positive and productive relationship that you and your colleagues maintain with my officials.

I would be delighted to meet with you to discuss the importance of teacher education for the FE and Skills sector, and how we can continue to work together to deliver high and rising standards in teacher training.

My office will be in touch to make arrangements with you, but please accept my apologies if this takes a little longer than might usually be the case owing to many competing diary pressures in these early days. I very much hope we will be able to find a convenient time for us to meet following summer recess.

Yours sincerely,
The Rt Hon Baroness Jacqui Smith
Minister for Skills