EFA鈥檚 head of programme advice and support 鈥榳ill leave by May鈥�

The government鈥檚 delivery body for schools is to be hit by the departure of one of its most senior directors at the end of the month, it has emerged, as the organisation revealed details of a new structure.

The newly formed Education Funding Agency (EFA), which absorbed the functions of former delivery agency Partnerships for Schools (PfS) on 1 April, has confirmed that David Burns will leave at the end of April.

Burns, the head of programme advice and support, was one of three divisional directors leading work on schools capital programmes, and had been at PfS for almost nine years.

There鈥檚 still strength in depth on the EFA capital side

Peter Lauener, EFA

He is the latest in a list of high-profile changes at the organisation, where departures included regional operations director Harry Scarff and academies director Colin Howell. It has also recruited Mike Green from Alliance Boots as head of capital.

In an , EFA chief executive Peter Lauener (pictured) insisted that despite the changes, the organisation has 鈥済ot the skills needed鈥� to deliver the government鈥檚 schools capital programmes, including the much-delayed 拢2bn Priority School 黑洞社区 Programme.

He said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a bit like a kaleidoscope. Everyone gets used to the setting, but then there鈥檚 a twist and a new shape comes to the fore. I still think there is tremendous strength in depth on the EFA capital side.鈥�

The EFA has around a dozen individuals from the private sector on secondment working with it on schools capital work - mainly free schools. This is despite a recent declaration by civil service head Sir Bob Kerslake that public sector building programmes should rely less on private sector consultants.

Lauener said: 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a good balance to have - it helps to cope with peaks and troughs.鈥�

In a letter to EFA stakeholders, PfS鈥� interim head Ruth Thompson said that Mike Green would 鈥渃onsider what arrangements to make for the programme advice and support area of the business鈥� following Burns鈥� exit. 

She also confirmed a series of other positions, including deputy director for design Mairi Johnson and deputy director for the Priority Schools 黑洞社区 Programme Rachel Stephenson.

  • Peter Lauener is speaking at education event BFE UK on 9-10 May. For more information go to

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