The former Department for Education and Skills wrote the first Simplification Plan in 2006. As a result of the Machinery of Government changes in 2007, this Department took forward measures from the 2006 plan that relate to children, schools and families. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has responsibility for those measures that relate to further and higher education and publishes its own plan.

DCSF is working hard to reduce the burden of unnecessary administration and bureaucracy at the front line � forms, returns, inspections, for example - so that teachers and carers can focus more on children and learners.

Download the plan on DCSF's website, linked below. Summary sections of the 2009 plan are also available on the TeacherNet website.