Listen to this story Members can listen to an AI-generated audio version of this article. 1.0x Audio narration uses an AI-generated voice. 0:00 0:00 Become a member to listen to this article Subscribe Ministers have begun their search for a 鈥渟trategic鈥� leader of a new team set up to test key policies from the schools white paper. The Department for Education (DfE) for the first head of its 鈥渢est, learn and grow unit鈥�. Schools minister Georgia Gould is keen to replicate the TLG scheme she introduced at the Cabinet Office. The DfE intends to use the programme to establish 鈥渨hat works in communities, rigorously testing effectiveness and championing the best work across the country鈥�. The government is now searching for the head of the DfE鈥檚 TLG and behavioural insights unit, which will be jointly delivered with the Cabinet Office. An advert for the 拢70,000-a-year role described it as a 鈥渘ew, multidisciplinary unit鈥� to 鈥渁ccelerate innovation across the education system鈥�, staffed by 15 people. It will sit within the DfE鈥檚 delivery unit, which is responsible for monitoring delivery on the education secretary鈥檚 top priorities. Over the next 18 months, the unit will design, deliver and scale 鈥渉igh impact test and learn projects鈥�. This includes Cabinet Office 鈥渁ccelerator projects鈥� as well as the new north-east and coastal 鈥渕issions鈥�. The team will also be the 鈥渃entre of expertise for behavioural science and test and learn methods, build capacity across the department and develop a sustainable long-term model for embedding innovation in policy and operational practice鈥�. ‘Getting to the heart of communities’ Gould previously told Schools Week that the TLG approach moved away from a 鈥渢op down鈥� view of policy, instead working with frontline staff on challenges. One issue she said they may look at is exploring barriers to successful transition into adulthood. The scheme was 鈥渞eally getting into the heart of communities and making policies together鈥�, she added. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 very much the approach I鈥檝e tried to bring to government. 鈥淚 have been on the other end of it as a council leader, with headteachers saying 鈥榯hat part of government has not talked to that part of government, why has this come down like this?鈥欌��