Written statement: Formal Establishment of the National School of Government and Public Services - Oct 26

Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Mark Ferguson): I am today providing an update to the House to confirm the formal establishment of the National School of Government and Public Services, following the written ministerial statement made on 20 January 2026 (HCWS1260), which confirmed the Government's intention to establish a new National School. This marks a significant step forward in providing world-class learning and development for civil servants, supporting public sector excellence and preparing our people for the future.

Reform of the Civil Service is central to delivering the government's priorities. Investing in the skills and capability of civil servants is important for improving delivery and delivering faster, higher-quality public services for the people who rely on them.

The National School brings civil service learning and development under one roof, creating a unified system designed and delivered by civil servants, for civil servants. It will deliver more learning and development in house, working in collaboration with external expertise where this genuinely adds value.

From day one, the National School provides a comprehensive learning and development offer built around six Universal Skills areas:

• Leadership and management

• Working in government

• Digital, data, innovation, and AI

• Personal effectiveness

• Communication and collaboration

• Strategy and critical thinking

The National School's offer will include new modules covering AI, devolution, national security, leadership, and innovation, alongside an enhanced induction programme for the Senior Civil Service. The National School will continue to deliver key talent schemes, including apprenticeships and the Civil Service Fast Stream.

The National School will operate in the areas where civil servants work around the country, at a dedicated residential campus at The Hawkhills in North Yorkshire, and through a single, easy access website.

Over time, the National School will expand its in-house course delivery, broaden its physical presence with regional sites across the UK, and deliver a high quality digital learning experience.

It will offer a range of support for leaders across the UK's public services to inspire and enable collective public sector delivery, building on the National Leadership Forum and the Public Leaders Programme with a new programme for deputy-CEO level leaders and more regional and place-based events and networks. In addition, it will pilot the expansion of its programmes - including opening access to its accelerated development programmes for Local and Mayoral Authority staff, and widening access to the Fast Stream, beginning with the launch of the Fast Stream Yorkshire and the Humber scheme.

Everything the National School delivers will be evidence-led and evaluated for real impact, by the National School Evidence Centre. Three publications explaining the work of the National School Evidence Centre, how the National School will be evaluated, and the impact we expect the National School to have and how we will achieve it, will be deposited with the House library today.

Over the years ahead, the National School will become a lasting institution that the Civil Service, and the wider public sector, can depend on, supporting public sector excellence which benefits citizens long into the future.

You can find out more about the National School at www.nationalschool.gov.uk(opens in a new tab).