The relationship between education civil servants and schools is going to come under the microscope.

An independent review of how the Department of Education, Sport and Culture works with the schools has been commissioned by the Council of Ministers.

The move comes as unions and the department’s top brass remain locked in a dispute. It has been welcomed by school leaders’ union the NAHT, whose national secretary Rob Kelsall said: ’The announcement that the independent inquiry is underway is welcome news and NAHT will be playing its full part in the inquiry.

’Over the past 12 months we have been up against a department which has failed to work constructively with the profession on a wide range of issues. The long-running industrial dispute was entirely avoidable.’

He said the Covid crisis had exposed systemic problems within the department.

’We hope the inquiry will move swiftly into identifying the inadequacies of DESC and that reform of the department will regain the trust and confidence of the profession going forward,’ Mr Kelsall added.

The review, which will be carried out by management consultants Beamans, will consider a number of themes.

These include the effectiveness of current governance arrangements, such as roles and responsibilities and oversight, and the DESC’s effectiveness at managing the interface with schools, including relationships with governing bodies and school leadership teams.

The Beamans team will comprise Michael Bourke, David Conroy and Peter Wiles.

Michael Bourke and David Conroy reviewed the effectiveness of management at Noble’s Hospital in 2013. Peter Wiles is an experienced Ofsted inspector and has worked in the field in the UK, Saudi Arabia and Kenya.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle said: ’A first-class education system is the bedrock of our society and our economy.

’Our teachers and school leaders do an amazing job - as do our officers, who work to implement policy and support our island’s teaching profession and our young people.

’The department and our schools have a shared objective: to achieve the best educational outcomes for our young people.’

He said the relationship between the department and schools must be ’effective, fit for purpose and robust’ if we are to have a good education system.

The review is scheduled to begin next week with a target date for submission of a report by the end of July this year.