Official Papers for Education: Departmental/government publications

In the first instance search SOLO. Many documents are published in electronic form only. Post 2007 search the UK Goverment Web Archive. For current material search the Department for Education pages on GOV.UK or the main publications search portal.

When searching the library catalogue it can be very useful to know the name of the publishing body.

• 1839-1856   Committee of the Privy Council on Education  
• 1856-1899   Education Department    
• 1899-1944   Board of Education  
• 1944-1964   Ministry of Education    
• 1964-1992   Department of Education and Science (DES)
• 1992-1995   Department for Education
• 1995-2001   Department for Education and Employment
• 2001-2007   Department for Education and Skills (DfES)
• 2007-2010   Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)
• 2010-          Department for Education

The advanced search option can help limit your results. If you know who has published the item, for example the Department of Children, Schools and Families - in the author field type 'Children, Schools Families' and any appropriate keywords, this will limit your search to that publishing body. This can be particulary helpful with older records, for example 'Ministry Education'.

National Digital Archive of Datasets (an archived site)  provides a detailed administrative description

Various RSS feeds are available from the Department of Education from 'in the news' to the latest statistical releases.

The RSS feed below shows the latest publications from the Department of Education.

The new Department for Education was formed on the 12th May 2010 and is responsible for education and children's services. It 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.

The Department for Education works with 18 agencies and public bodies:

• Non ministerial departments: OFQUAL, Ofsted
• Executive agencies: Education Funding Agency, Standard and Testings Agency, National College for Teaching and Leadership, Skills Funding Agency
• Executive non-departmental public bodies:  Construction Industry Training Board, Engineering Construction Industry Training Board, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Higher Education Funding Council for England, Office for Fair Access, Office of the Children's Commissioner, Students Loan Company, UK Commission for Employment and Skills
• Advisory non-departmental public bodies: School Teacher's Review Body, Social Mobility Commission
• Other: Office of the Schools Adjudicator, Government Equalities Office