Board meeting: 17 July 2025
Updated 2 June 2026
Applies to England
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Attendees and presenters
Member attendees
- Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP – Secretary of State for Education
- Rt Hon Baroness Smith – Minister for Skills and Minister for the Board
- Sir Kevan Collins – Lead Non-executive Board Member
- Stuart McMinnies – Non-executive Board Member
- Sir Peter Bazalgette – Non-executive Board Member
- Margaret Casely-Hayford – Non-executive Board Member
- Rebecca George – Non-executive Board Member
- Naomi Eisenstadt – Non-executive Board Member
- Steve Crocker – Non-executive Board Member
- Jane Cunliffe – Chief Operating Officer
- Tony Foot – Director General, Strategy Group
Presenters
- Anne Spinali – Director, Strategic Finance
- Warwick Sharp – Director, Strategy and Delivery
- Matt Evans – Deputy Director, Cloud Infrastructure and Platforms
- Ian Knowles – Director, Strategic Analysis, Research, Data, Intelligence and Science
- Mindy Lalria – Deputy Director, Advanced Analytics
- Laura Pullin – Lead Data Scientist
- Alex Marsh – Director of School Analysis, System and Strategy
- Alison Ismail – Director for SEND and Alternative Provision
Other attendees
- Juliet Chua – Director General, Schools
- Julia Kinniburgh – Director General, Skills
- Justin Russell – Director General, Families
- Warwick Sharp – Director, Strategy and Delivery
- Laura Hoskins – Board Secretary
- Tom McNeill – Non-executive Director Support Lead
Apologies
- Susan Acland-Hood – Permanent Secretary
1. Introduction, minutes and action tracker
Minister Smith took the Chair and welcomed members to the meeting. Apologies were noted from the Permanent Secretary, for whom Julia Kinniburgh would deputise.
The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 2 June 2025 were approved as a correct record.
No new interests were declared.
The Board Secretary provided an update on the action tracker and Board members accepted the recommendation to close all actions.
2. Finance update
Board members received an overview of the department’s financial performance at Period 2. The Board noted the Annual Report and Accounts for 2024 to 2025 had been laid before Parliament and published on 17th July 2025. The department would review financial performance at the end of Quarter 1.
The Secretary of State arrived at the meeting at this point and took the Chair.
Board members discussed business planning across Admin, Capital and Programme budgets for 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027. The focus on value for money and strong financial management of the departmental budget was discussed, as was the importance of explaining decisions in a clear way to external stakeholders.
3. One year on
Officials spoke to the department’s achievements and challenges one year after the General Election in July 2024.
4. AI and automation efficiencies
Board members discussed AI technologies and their potential uses in the department, including how the department’s use of it might be perceived externally, how the department would maintain security around the use of AI, and how AI could be used to realise benefits in terms of making officials’ jobs more efficient, simplifying processes and delivering better value for money.
5. Schools White Paper
Officials provided Board members with information on the upcoming Schools White Paper.
The Secretary of State left the meeting at this point and Minister Smith took the Chair for the remainder.
Board members discussed plans to finalise and publish the White Paper and commented that the opportunity to engage with stakeholders throughout the formulation of the White Paper would be critical to delivering the reforms.
6. Any other business
Justin Russell informed the Board of the appointment of Gila Sacks as his successor as Director General for Families.
The meeting concluded at 15:18.