Margaret Hodge, Minister for Lifelong Learning and Higher Education yesterday announced the appointment of eight new members of the Learning and Skills Development Agency board, and the re-appointment of two existing members. The new board membership reflects the expansion of the remit of the Learning and Skills Development Agency to support raising standards across the whole of post-16 learning.

Margaret Hodge said:

“The Learning and Skills Development Agency now has responsibility for raising standards in the whole post 16 learning area. We need to bring all teaching and lessons up to the standards of the best, meeting the needs of people who in the past would not have been encouraged into learning. And of course we want to equip people with the range of skills they need to enable our economy to compete with the best.

“These appointments provide the Learning and Skills Development Agency with a strong board with the wide range of experience and perspectives that it needs. I and John Harwood, Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Council, look forward to an innovative and imaginative contribution from the Agency over the next two or three years. In particular, we look forward to making significant strides in the professional development of teachers and trainers.”

The new Board members are:

Henry Ball Executive Director, Sussex Learning and Skills Council, Brighton
Stephen Broomhead Chief Executive, Warrington Borough Council
Ruth Gee Director of Vocational Education and Training Partnerships, British Council
Josh Hillman Head of Education Policy, BBC
Dr Ann Hodgson Senior Lecturer, Institute of Education, University of London
Peter Little Chief Executive, Birmingham Rathbone Society and Chair of SKILL
Susanna Reece Continuing Professional Development and Research Manager, Faculty and Institute of Actuaries, Oxford
Daniel Taubman National Official, NATHFE