| Branch
|
Responsibility for
|
| Teachers Branch[7]
|
Teacher recruitment (including qualification criteria & entrance exams) and teacher training through specialist teacher training colleges ensuring an adequate supply of teachers.
|
| Medical Branch[8][9]
|
School clinics & nurses for medical treatment of children and provision of school meals and milk for those in nutritional need
|
| Special Services Branch[10]
|
Special education services for blind, deaf, handicapped (physical & mental), epileptic, maladjusted and delicate children
|
| Information Branch[11]
|
Distribution of information to educators, institutions and local education authorities through means such as circulars and memorandum
|
| External Relations Branch[11]
|
Distribution of information to the general public including films, exhibitions at conferences, liaising with the press, publications and ministerial briefings for announcements in parliament & press interviews.
|
| Further Education Branch[12]
|
Provision of further education including evening institutes, juvenile instruction centres, short courses, books needed at public libraries, residential colleges, polytechnics, vocational courses, agricultural colleges, sports, arts etc. etc.
This branch was later sub-divided into the University Branch and Adult Education and Youth services Branches
|
| Finance Branch[13]
|
Expenditure, accountancy & budget estimates which gave the branch considerable influence over the formulation and execution of policy
|
| Schools Branch[14]
|
Interpretation of the Education Act 1944 was subject to 'precedents' from a body of knowledge and previous decisions by at least Assistant Secretary or the Legal Branch.
|
| Architects and Building Branch[15]
|
Building of school & educational institute premises including policy, building regulations, internal fittings, planning requirements, equipment etc.
|
| Awards Branch[16]
|
For aid and grants to students through state scholarships and local education authority awards. Financial assistance was extended to those in universities, with particular emphasis on scientific scholarships.
|
| Inspectorate[17][18]
|
Separate inspectorates existed for England and Wales. The inspectorate carried out compulsory inspections of schools and educational institutes and reported deficiencies requiring remediation. In addition policy was reviewed & revised through panels from reports and surveys from the inspectorate.
|
| Welsh Department[19]
|
Special considerations for Welsh schools including the Welsh language and low population rural schools
|
| Legal Branch[20]
|
Decisions on how acts of parliament should be interpreted. This is for uncertain cases, whereas the Schools Branch deflected cases where a precedent already existed. Legal opinions were given by the Law Officers of the Crown ( Attorney General and the Solicitor General) in response to enquiries concerning points of law.
|
| UNESCO Branch[21]
|
Engagement with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
|
| Salaries Branch[22]
|
Salary scales for teachers
|
| Establishments Branch[23]
|
Ministry of Education staff and Inspectorate concerning changes in office procedure or organization, promotions, allowances and formation of new committees. Effectively equivalent to a modern day HR department
|
| Statistics Branch[24]
|
The collection and presentation of statistics such as the level of supply of teachers, appraising shortages of, for example, science and technology graduates, numbers of immigrant pupils etc.
|
| Research and Intelligence Branch[25]
|
Keeping ministers informed of educational research and identified areas of promise. It grant-aided and commissioned research from universities using a fund but did not undertake any research itself. Additional funds were set aside for bodies such as the Central Advisory Councils for Education in England and Wales, the National Foundation for Educational Research, the Curriculum Study Group and, initially, the Schools Council.
|
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