David Bell (British civil servant)
Encyclopedia
Sir David Robert Bell KCB is Permanent Secretary
at the British Department for Education
. He took up his post on 3 January 2006. He was previously Chief Inspector of Schools at the Office for Standards in Education
. He had previously been Permanent Secretary at its predecessor departments, the Department for Children, Schools and Families
and the Department for Education and Skills
.
Bell studied history
and philosophy
at Glasgow University and obtained his PGCE
from Jordanhill College of Education. He also has a Master of Education
degree
in management and administration from Glasgow University. Bell then held teaching posts at primary schools in Glasgow
, moving on to become a deputy head, and then a headteacher at Kingston Primary School, in Thundersley
, Essex
. In 1990 he became assistant director of education at Newcastle City Council
. During this time he spent a year as a Harkness Fellow at Georgia State University
, Atlanta, studying education and local government
reform across the United States of America. Bell trained as an Ofsted
team inspector in 1993. He became a Registered Inspector in 1994 and carried out inspections in primary schools. He was promoted to director of education and libraries at Newcastle City Council in 1995 and became chief executive of Bedfordshire County Council in 2000. Mr Bell took up his post as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector on 1 May 2002. He was Chief Inspector for over three years and, in January 2006, he became Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education and Skills before becoming the first Permanent Secretary at the Department for Children, Schools and Families in June 2007 and its successor, the Department for Education
in May 2010.
He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
.
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
at the British Department for Education
Department for Education
The Department for Education is a department of the UK government responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education....
. He took up his post on 3 January 2006. He was previously Chief Inspector of Schools at the Office for Standards in Education
Office for Standards in Education
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
. He had previously been Permanent Secretary at its predecessor departments, the Department for Children, Schools and Families
Department for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
and the Department for Education and Skills
Department for Education and Skills
The Department for Education and Skills was a United Kingdom government department between 2001 and 2007. It was responsible for the education system and children's services in England. On 28 June 2007 the department was split in two by Gordon Brown's government...
.
Bell studied history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at Glasgow University and obtained his PGCE
PGCE
PGCE can stand for:* Postgraduate Certificate in Education, an English, Welsh and Northern Irish teacher-training qualification that includes master's credits...
from Jordanhill College of Education. He also has a Master of Education
Master of Education
The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
in management and administration from Glasgow University. Bell then held teaching posts at primary schools in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, moving on to become a deputy head, and then a headteacher at Kingston Primary School, in Thundersley
Thundersley
Thundersley is a district in the north west of the Castle Point Borough, in south east Essex, England, about 35 miles east of London.-Toponymy:...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. In 1990 he became assistant director of education at Newcastle City Council
Newcastle City Council
Newcastle City Council is the local government authority for Newcastle upon Tyne, a city in Tyne and Wear, England. The council consists of 78 councillors, three for each of the city's 26 wards...
. During this time he spent a year as a Harkness Fellow at Georgia State University
Georgia State University
Georgia State University is a research university in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1913, it serves about 30,000 students and is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities...
, Atlanta, studying education and local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
reform across the United States of America. Bell trained as an Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
team inspector in 1993. He became a Registered Inspector in 1994 and carried out inspections in primary schools. He was promoted to director of education and libraries at Newcastle City Council in 1995 and became chief executive of Bedfordshire County Council in 2000. Mr Bell took up his post as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector on 1 May 2002. He was Chief Inspector for over three years and, in January 2006, he became Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education and Skills before becoming the first Permanent Secretary at the Department for Children, Schools and Families in June 2007 and its successor, the Department for Education
Department for Education
The Department for Education is a department of the UK government responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education....
in May 2010.
He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
2011 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours 2011 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 7 June 2011 in New Zealand and 11 June 2011 in United Kingdom to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2011.-Privy Councillors:...
.