Jonathan Childs appointed Ofsted's new Deputy Director of Post-16 Education, Training and Skills

Ofsted has appointed Jonathan Childs as its new Deputy Director of Post-16 Education, Training and Skills.

He will join from the Department for Education (DfE) at the beginning of March 2026.

Jonathan has worked across government since 2002, with roles at the Home Office, Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the DfE. He brings extensive experience in further education and skills, having served at the DfE since 2019 as Deputy Director for apprenticeship strategy and Deputy Director for further education workforce.

Jonathan also brings valuable experience to Ofsted's inspections of prison education, having worked on youth justice and probation reform at the MoJ, where he led Charlie Taylor's review of the youth justice system.

Lee Owston, Ofsted's Director, Education said:

We are delighted to welcome Jonathan to Ofsted. His understanding of further education and skills will be invaluable as we continue our work to help the sector raise standards across post-16 education and training.

Jonathan Childs said:

I am honoured to be joining Ofsted at such an important time for further education and skills. High-quality post-16 education transforms lives and strengthens our economy, and I look forward to working with colleagues across the inspectorate and in the education sector to support providers in delivering the best outcomes for learners.