Julia Kinniburgh

Biography

Julia Kinniburgh is the Director General for Schools Group, taking on the role in January 2026.

Prior to this she was Director General for Skills Group from December 2022 to January 2026.

Julia’s previous roles in government include:

Director General for Strategy Group at the Department for Education
Director General for COVID-19 Response and Schools Recovery at the Department for Education
Director General for the Serious and Organised Crime Group at the Home Office
Director with responsibility for the national curriculum, national qualifications and school accountability at the Department for Education
senior roles at HM Revenue & Customs and the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

She has also held roles with the emergency services and local government.

The director general is a member of the Department for Education’s leadership team.

The role is responsible for:

the school system
the teaching and school support workforce
the curriculum
SEND and alternative provision
exams, national assessment and general qualifications
school accountability
pupil wellbeing and enrichment
attendance, behaviour and exclusion
school food
wraparound childcare, the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, and breakfast clubs

The director general works with the Teaching Regulation Agency.

The Chief Executive of the Standards and Testing Agency reports to the Director General, Schools.