A British high flyer in education, Lesley Longstone has been named as the new chief executive and secretary of the Ministry of Education, taking over from Karen Sewell in November.  

The State Services Commission Lesley Longstone comes to NZ with 25 years experience in the education and employment sectors in the UK, Europe and Australia.  She is currently Director General for Infrastructure and Funding at the Department of Education in England.

Lesley Longstone will be entering a challenging position.  A formal review of the Ministry as part of a performance framework strategy done by the State Services Commission, the Treasury and the Dept of the Prime Minister and Cabinet reported at the end of June that it had some major gaps in its services.  Gaps included: school infrastructure, interventions, the tertiary education strategy and Maori education success.  

The Ministry of Education was ranked lowest out of the 10 government departments reviewed. 

The Education Ministry leadership lacked a coherent long-term view and a systematic approach to teacher selection, and training and policy enforcement.  

Areas of strength praised by the review included curriculum, the work done on early childhood education, and effectiveness in special education.

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