Tory special adviser Rory Gribbell has been appointed to the role of senior policy adviser on schools in the Department for Education.
Gribbell joined the civil service as teacher in residence in 2016, two years after starting on the Teach First programme. He moved to a special adviser role in August 2020, working as part of the policy unit in Number 10.
Since September 2022, Gribbell has served secretaries of state Kit Malthouse then Gillian Keegan in a political role. But he will return to the ranks of the civil service with his new appointment.
Gribbell has a high profile in the education sector and was involved in pay negotiations between Keegan and the teaching unions. These resulted in July’s decision to end strike action, with both sides agreeing to a 6.5% pay offer.
Although Gribbell has worked for the Conservative Party for the past three years, he is a former Labour Party member.
Gribbell holds a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Durham and completed his Teach First placement at Cantell School in Southampton.