Transparency data

Board meeting: 3 April 2025

Updated 14 August 2025

Applies to England

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
• Susan Acland-Hood – Permanent Secretary
• Stuart McMinnies – Non-executive Board Member
• Jack Boyer – Non-executive Board Member
• Margaret Casely-Hayford – Non-executive Board Member
• Steve Crocker – Non-executive Board Member
• Naomi Eisenstadt – Non-executive Board Member
• Rebecca George – Non-executive Board Member
• Jane Cunliffe – Chief Operating Officer
• Tony Foot – Director General, Strategy Group

Presenters

• Anne Spinali – Strategic Finance Director
• Hannah Smith – Deputy Director, Delivery Unit
• Will Millard – Senior Strategy Advisor
• Sophie Langdale – CSC Portfolio Director, Strategy and Care
• Shazia Hussain – Director, Help, Protection and Social Work

Other attendees

• Juliet Chua – Director General, Schools Group
• Julia Kinniburgh – Director General, Skills
• Justin Russell – Director General, Families Group
• Warwick Sharp – Director, Strategy and Delivery
• Helen Alderton – Private Secretary to Secretary of State
• Laura Hoskins – Board Secretary
• Tom McNeill – NED Support Lead

Apologies

• Sir Peter Bazalgette – Non-executive Board Member

1. Introduction, minutes and action tracker

Sir Kevan Collins, Lead Non-executive Board Member, took the Chair and welcomed members to the meeting. The Secretary of State and Minister for the Board would arrive later in the meeting.

Four new Non-executive Board Members (NEBMs) were welcomed to their first departmental Board meeting.

It was formally noted that this meeting would not be quorate until a Minister was in attendance.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11 February 2025 were approved as a correct record.

No new interests were declared. New NEBMs had previously declared their interests on appointment in line with required guidance.

2. Finance update

Board Members received an update of the Department’s financial position at period 11 and business planning which would inform the Department’s spending review return.

3. Missions delivery

Board members received an update on the Department’s role in the delivery of each of the Opportunity Mission Pillars and each of the Missions and the Pillars that the Department supports outside of the Opportunity Mission.

Board members discussed a case study on attendance and the work of Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) to support improved attendance in schools.

4. Approach to disadvantage

The Board discussed the definition of disadvantage and how the Department would use data to better understand intersectionality of different cohorts of disadvantaged children and young people.

Board members discussed how the Department would try to bridge the disadvantage gap at all stages of a child or young person’s education.

5. Keeping Children Safe

Minister Daby joined the Board meeting for this item.

Members discussed the Keeping Children Safe pillar of the Opportunity Mission, including the Children’s Social Care strategy, noting measures for improvement had already been introduced to parliament via the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools bill.

Board members encouraged multi-agency working (across government and between the Department and sector) to support looked after children.

6. Any other business

There was no other business.

The meeting concluded at 3:30pm.