According to satirist H.L. Mencken Mencken “Those who can — do. Those who can’t — teach.” this cynical phrase was extended to “Those who can’t teach – teach teachers” by person or persons unknown at a later date. There could now be a new version of this saying which is that “those who can’t teach – become special advisers”. Although David Cameron and Nick Clegg have left the Department for Education Ministerial Team untouched (perhaps an indication of the power that Michael Gove has) there has been change nevertheless. According to this report  from yesterdays Guardian, one of Michael Goves special advisers and a personal confidente has resigned to spend more time in education. As I have written previously the DfE team lacks any hands on educational experience with the exception of Lord Nash who set up a charity to sponsor academies. However these five men and one women are not expected to make decisions in ignorance, with only the Civil Service to respond to their bidding. Our taxes also pay for them to have special advisers to help them. On the grounds that there is so little knowledge within the department it would make sense for these 6 Ministers to ensure they are surrounded by youth workers, preschool managers and teachers or lecturers. People who could offer timely advice that would avoid simple if costly mistakes and prevent them from creating an unnecessary burden for those who do actually educate our children. Dominic Cummings (41) previously worked for the New Schools Network and before that was a Director of Strategy for Iain Duncan Smith for eight months in 2002 when IDS was leader of the Conservative Party. Cummings quit then to pursue “other things outside politics”. The BBC account of this period is fascinating and available here as is this account of his time with the NSN.

The account in yesterdays Guardian suggests that “He has said he is to run a free school and will be leaving the department by the end of the year. He has not yet identified the free school, but it is unlikely he is to be a teacher on the front line because he does not have education qualifications.” According to reports earlier in the year, being a teacher is no longer a pre-requisite for running a School as a head teacher (one assumes that Mr Cumming was not planning to begin at the bottom like most newly qualified teachers, or as a teaching assistant). If the Guardian is correct it is very encouraging that he won’t be attempting to do something he lacks the training for. However none of us can know what impact this unelected, unqualified, politically motivated individual has had on education across the country in the last three years whilst he has been advising the nations most powerful educational decision maker. Wherever he ends up, there will be regulations and scrutiny for his future actions. This will be a new experience for Mr Cummings. Sadly it may have come too late for the nations children. Perhaps Mr Gove will consider replacing his SpAd with someone who doe have a genuine educational background!