Former Government minister Stephen Twigg bids to raise education standards in Dorset

It has been announced that Stephen Twigg will be taking the helm of a new Education Board which is being set up in Dorset to raise standards.

Dorset Council says the board will focus on delivering opportunities and tackling the challenges of the education system in the county.

Following a series of national interviews and what was described as 'a very competitive field', Mr Twigg has been appointed as the chairman.

Stephen Twigg

Mr Twigg is a former Labour MP who famously won Defence Secretary Michael Portillo's Enfield Southgate seat in the 1997 General Election. He served as a minister in the Department for Education (DfE) and Skills between 2002 and 2005.

He lost his seat in 2005 but returned to parliament five years later when he was elected MP for Liverpool West Derby and served until 2019.

He is a former Chairman of the School Improvement Partnership Board for the North West, Lancashire and West Yorkshire, and in 2020 he helped establish the International Parliamentary Network for Education before taking up his current position as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association working with legislators across the Commonwealth.

He said: “I believe passionately that every child and young person should have a high quality education. I look forward to working with Dorset Council, Dorset schools and partner organisations across the county area to make the Dorset Education Board a success.”

The board will include key educational leaders in Dorset who have the passion and expertise right across the education system. It will use local, regional and national evidence and research to inform its work and will set a clear direction and a positive culture to support partners to deliver ambitious educational outcomes for all children and young people into adulthood.

Cllr Andrew Parry, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Children, Education, Skills and Early Help said: “We’re delighted to appoint Stephen who will be working with us, our partnerships and communities to deliver outstanding lives for the children of Dorset. We look forward to this exciting new chapter and to welcoming him to the very first Dorset Education Conference taking place in July this year.”