Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI)
The work of the Adult Learning Inspectorate was taken over by Ofsted in April 2007.

www.ascel.org.uk
The Association of Senior Children's and Education Librarians (ASCEL) is a national membership network organisation of Senior Children's and Education Librarians, who work together to stimulate developments and respond to initiatives relating to children and young people in public libraries and education services.

www.becta.org.uk
British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA) is a goverment-funded agency that works to support and develop the use of ICT within the national curriculum, in the teaching of key skills, in institutional efficiency and in the development of lifelong learning. 
Contact: BECTA, Milburn Hill Road, Science Park, Coventry CV4 7JJ. Tel: 024 7641 6994.

Basic Skills Agency

www.csn.info
The Children's Services Network was launched in 2006 and developed from The Education Network (TEN), originally launched by the Local Government Information Unit in 1997 to help develop the role of local authorities in the delivery of education, and disseminate good practice. Recent changes reflect the changes that have taken place in local authorities, in the delivery of children's services. To access CSN's full services, including some content on the website, you need to be part of a local authority which is a member (most in England and many in Wales are). 
Contact: The Children's Services Network, Local Government Information Unit, 22 Upper Woburn Place,
London WC1H 0TB. Tel: 020 7554 2800. Email: info@lgiu.org.uk.

www.demos.co.uk
Demos is an independent think-tank that connects researchers and practitioners to influence government policy. It also works with companies, non-government organisations, schools and professional bodies. Its work is organised around five themes: democracy, learning, enterprise, quality of life and global change.
Contact: Demos, The Mezzanine, Elizabeth House, 39 York Road, London SE1 7NQ. Tel: 020 7401 5330. Email: hello@demos.co.uk.

www.communities.gov.uk
Department for Communities and Local Government, formerly the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the DCLG was created in May 2006 with a remit to promote community cohesion and equality, as well as responsibility for housing, urban regeneration, planning and local government.

www.deni.gov.uk
Department of Education for Northern Ireland (DENI)
Contact: DENI, Rathgael House, Balloo Road, Bangor, County Down BT 19 7PR. Tel: 028 9127 9279.

www.dcsf.gov.uk
Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), formerly the Department for Educations and Skills (DfES).
Contact: DfES, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT. Tel: 020 7925 5000. Public enquiries: 0870 000 2288. Email: info@dfes.gsi.gov.uk.

www.culture.gov.uk
The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) is responsible for Government policy on the arts, sport, the National Lottery, tourism, libraries, museums and galleries, broadcasting, film, the music industry, press freedom and regulation, licensing, gambling and the historic environment.It is also responsible for the listing of historic buildings and scheduling of ancient monuments, the export licensing of cultural goods, the management of the Government Art Collection and for the Royal Parks Agency.
Contact: DCMS, 2-4 Cockspur Street, London SW1Y 5DH. Tel: 020 7211 6263. :

www.elwa.org.uk
ELWa - Education and Learning Wales is responsible for the strategic direction, implementation and funding of all post-16 eduction and training in Wales, except higher education. The National Council is working with the Higher Education Council to ensure a coordinated approach to all funding. Together the National Council and the Higher Education Council form ELWa.
Contact: ELWa, Linden Court, The Orchards, Ilex Close, Llanishen, Cardiff CF14 5DZ Tel: 08456 088 066. Email: info@elwa.org.uk.

www.estyn.gov.uk
Estyn - Her Majesty's Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales 
Contact: Estyn, Anchor Court, Keen Road, Cardiff CF24 5JW. Tel: 029 2044 6446.

HM Inspectors of Schools (Scotland)
Contact: HMI, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ.

Inspectorate (Northern Ireland)
Contact: DENI

Learndirect

Learning and Skills Development Agency

www.ltscotland.org.uk
Learning and Teaching Scotland was formed in 2000 from the merger of the Scottish Council for Educational Technology (SCET) and the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum (SCCC). Its remit covers pre-school and 5-14 curriculum; 14-18 curriculum; further education, adult and corporate learning; emerging technologies programme; National Grid for Learning; learning services; and corporate activities. 
Contact: Learning and Teaching Scotland, Gardyne Road, Dundee DD5 1NY. Tel: 01382 443600. Email: enquiries@LTScotland.com.

www.lsneducation.org.uk
Learning and Skills Network (formerly the Learning and Skills Development Agency) it runs programmes, research, training and consultancy in post-16 education and training. Policy and strategy work will now be delivered by a separate body, the Quality Improvement Agency for Lifelong Learning (QIA). Contact: Learning and Skills Network, Regent Arcade House, 19-25 Argyll Street, London W1F 7LS. Tel: 020 7297 9000.

www.lga.gov.uk
Local Government Association (LGA) is a local government body formed as a result of the amalgation of the ACC (Association of County Councils) and the AMA (Association of Metropolitan Authorities). 
Contact: Local Government Association, Local Government House, Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ. Tel: 020 7664 3000. 

Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA)
Beechill House, 42 Beechill Road, Belfast BT8 4RS.

www.dfes.gov.uk/offenderlearning
The Offenders' Learning and Skills Unit (OLSU) supports a strategic partnership between the Department for Education and Skills and the Prison Service and has been in operation since April 2001. OLSU works with its key partners to take forward the Government's Manifesto commitment to improve dramatically the quality and quantity of learning and skills in prison. Its team of regional Learning and Skills advisers work closely with prison establishments to help drive up standards of delivery and provide professional support and guidance. From April 2004, OLSU has had responsibility for policy and funding of learning and skills for offenders under supervision in the community.
Contact: Offenders' Learning and Skills Unit, Department for Education and Skills, Level 1, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT. Tel: 020 7925 5000. Email: offenders'.learning@dfes.gsi.gov.uk.

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister - See Department for Communities and Local Government

www.ofsted.gov.uk
Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) is a non-ministerial government department established under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 to take responsibility for the inspection of all schools in England. A new organisation was established on 1 April 2007 bringing together four former inspectorates, including the Adult Learning Inspectorate, to inspect and regulate care for children and young people, and education and training for learners of all ages.
Contact: Ofsted, Alexandra House, 33 Kingsway, London WC2B 6SE. Tel: 020 7421 6800.

www.qca.org.uk
The Qualifications & Curriculum Authority (QCA) is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Education and Skills. It is governed by a board, whose members are appointed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, and managed on a day-to-day basis by an executive team. QCA maintains and develops the national curriculum and associated assessments, tests and examinations; and accredits and monitors qualifications in colleges and at work.
Contact: QCA, 83 Piccadilly, London W1Y 8QA. Tel: 020 7509 5555.

www.accac.org.uk
Qualifications, Curriculum & Assessment Authority for Wales (ACCAC) is the National Assembly for Wales's principal advisory body on all aspects of the school curriculum, examinations, assessment and vocational qualifications.
Contact: ACCAC, Castle Buildings, Womanby Street, Cardiff CF10 1SX. Tel: 029 2037 5400.

Quality Improvement Agency (QIA)
The Learning and Skills Development Agency has split in two, creating the QIA, which has been set up partly to bring order to the 'quangocracy' of the learning and skills sector by taking quality under one roof, and the Learning and Skills Network, which aims to promote good practice.

Scottish Community Education Council 
Contact: SCEC, Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 5EZ. Tel: 0131 313 2488. 

www.scotland.gov.uk
Scottish Executive Education Department 
Contact: Scottish Executive Education Department, Victoria Quay, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ. Tel: 0131 556 8400.

www.sqa.org.uk
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is the national body in Scotland responsible for the development, accreditation, assessment, and certification of all qualifications in Scotland other than university degrees.
Contact: SQA, Hanover House, 24 Douglas Street, Glasgow G2 7NQ. Tel: 0141 242 2214. Email: helpdesk@sqa.org.uk.

Skills for Life Strategy Unit (formerly Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit)
The Skills for Life Strategy Unit is based at the Department for Education and Skills under the direction of Susan Pember. It oversees Skills for Life, the national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills in England. There is a regional coordinator for each of the nine regions of England who acts as a link between the local Learning and Skills Council, local authories, Learning Partnerships, providers, and other relevant agencies at regional and local level. In September 2001 the Unit launched the 'Get On' (Gremlins) campaign as the first phase of a national advertising campaign to promote adult literacy and numeracy and raise levels of awareness.
Get On Campaign: 020 7544 3130. National helpline for adult basic skills and general education courses: 0800 100 900. Website: www.dfes.gov.uk/readwriteplus or www.dfes.gov.uk/get-on

www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/social_exclusion_task_force/index.asp
The Social Exclusion Task Force was set up by the Prime Minister in December 1997 to help improve Government action to reduce social exclusion by producing 'joined up solutions to joined up problems.' The Unit is staffed by a mixture of civil servants and external secondees from a number of Government departments and from organisations with experience of tackling social exclusion - the probation service, housing, police, local authorities, the voluntary sector and business. The Unit does not cover issues which are dealt with by one Government department only, or duplicate work being done elsewhere. It does devote time to participating in wider interdepartmental work that has a close bearing on social exclusion. 
Contact: Social Exclusion Unit, Cabinet Office, Room 132L/3, 1 Horse Guards Parade, London SW1P 3AL. Tel: 020 7270 5253.

www.standards.dfes.gov.uk
The Standards and Effectiveness Unit is based at the DCFS and was set up by in 1997 to spread best practices from schools and LEAs. 
Contact: Standards and Effectiveness Unit, DfES, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT. Tel: 020 7925 5000.

Local Enterprise Councils (Scotland) There are 22 Local Enterprise Councils for Scotland that work in a similar way to TECs in England and Wales (see TEC National Council above). 
Contact the Scottish Office Education & Industry Department for the area you are interested in. Tel: 0131 556 8400. 

www.tda.gov.uk
Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA)
Contact: Teacher Training Agency, 151 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SZ. Tel: 020 7925 3700.

www.wales.gov.uk
Welsh Assembly (for inspection see Estyn)
Contact: Welsh Assembly, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff CF99 1NA. Tel: 029 2082 3207.

www.wjec.co.uk
Welsh Joint Education Committee
Contact: Welsh Joint Education Committee, 245 Western Avenue, Cardiff CF5 2YX. Tel: 029 2026 5000. E-mail: info@wjec.co.uk.