Former schools minister Estelle Morris is to take over from David Blunkett as Secretary of State for Education and Employment, it was announced last Friday.

Ms Morris, who has a teaching background, has been a Minister at the DfEE since May 1997, responsible for standards in schools. Before becoming an MP in 1992, she taught at Syndey Stringer comprehensive school in Coventry. In 1994, she was appointed an Opposition whip, and in 1995 became Opposition spokeswoman on Education and Employment.

An official DfEE statement reads:

"Ms Morris will build on the success of the last four years and set about delivering the kind of radical improvement in the performance of secondary schools that the Government has already achieved at primary level. She will work to raise the education and skills of the nation and widen access to high quality further and higher education to help secure the financial well-being and competitiveness of the nation."

Journalists at the Daily Mail have uncovered the fact that Ms Morris failed her English and French A-levels, apparently because she didn't work hard enough. Having lost out on a University place, the new Secretary of State went on to Coventry College of Education to gain a teaching certificate. Apparently the hurt of having failed her exams has affected Ms Morris ever since.

TrainingZONE says: With a teaching background and a former responsibility for school standards, Ms Morris comes well equipped to oversee compulsory education, but is likely to have a steep learning curve to overcome in developing her knowledge of learning at work.