Yorkshire-born Greening becomes first education secretary to have gone to a mainstream comprehensive school

JUSTINE GREENING has become education secretary - the first in history to have been taught at a mainstream state comprehensive school.
Justine Greening. Photo : Dominic Lipinski/PA WireJustine Greening. Photo : Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
Justine Greening. Photo : Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

The former international development secretary replaces Nicky Morgan in the role which also includes being minister for women and equalities.

Ms Greening, was born in Rotherham, and educated at Oakwood High a comprehensive school in the town.

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She is only the second education secretary not to have been educated at either an academically selective grammar school or an independent school.

She follow fellows South Yorkshire-born politician David Blunkett who was education secretary during Tony Blair’s government from 1997 to 2001 and attended the Royal School for the Blind, an all-ability state-funded school.

She told onlookers it was “her perfect job” after leaving Downing Street. Earlier this year she talked about the importance of her upbringing on her career. She said: “My parents were very supportive and I think that when we look at social mobility one of the things that really strikes me is how big a role my parents were able to play in my life in terms of helping me to set my sights high. It could have been a very different story.” After leaving school she studying economics at Southampton.

After a career in finance with Price Waterhouse Coopers and GlaxoSmithKline she went into politics and was elected for a Conservative seat in London in 2005. Last month she announced that she was in a same sex relationship making her the first openly gay female cabinet minister.

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She is taking over at the Department for Education amid a shake up which will see it take over responsibility for higher and further education. Her predecessor Mrs Morgan had been in post since 2014 when she replaced Michael Gove. Earlier this year she faced controversy over the Government’s plan to turn all state schools into academies. The proposals not only angered teaching unions but also some of her own party with councillors and backbench MPs questioning the idea. She subsequently ruled out forcing good schools to convert.

Last weekend Mrs Morgan faced calls to resign from the National Union of Teachers over the Sats row this year. Results showed that almost half of all 11-year-olds failed to reach the standards expected in reading, writing and maths.

Speaking as Ms Morgan’s departure was announced - almost two years to the day since she was appointed as Mr Gove’s successor - NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: “I think what’s marked her time as secretary of state is that she has tried to engage with us in our disputes.

“We were starting to have detailed discussions on workload, pay, equalities. We hope that will continue with her successor.”

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Kevin Courtney, acting general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “We congratulate Justine Greening on her appointment as the new Secretary of State for Education. We want to engage with her, representing the views of the profession and seeking positive change for our young people.

“There are real problems to be addressed: teacher recruitment and retention, mainly caused by excessive working hours is at crisis point; a lack of school funding is jeopardising the quality of education; and testing and assessment is in complete disarray.”