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Jonathan Slater

b. 1961

British civil servant (born 1961)

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About Jonathan Slater

Born 1961. Jonathan Slater is a civil servant.

Jonathan Slater (born 29 November 1961) is a former high ranking British civil servant. From May 2016, he was Permanent Secretary of the Department for Education until his abrupt dismissal on 26 August 2020 following a controversy over national school examination grades.

Career Slater entered Civil Service in 2001 joining the Cabinet Office, having previously worked for the London Borough of Islington. After four years there, he moved to the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit at Number 10 Policy Unit in 2005, working on NHS reform and the capability review programme. In 2006, he transferred to the Ministry of Justice, His position was subsequently changed to Director-General, Head Office and Commissioning Services.

In August 2020, the prime minister concluded that there was "a need for fresh official leadership” and Slater announced he was stepping down with effect from 1 September. The general secretary of the FDA union, Dave Penman, attacked the sacking in the following terms": "If it wasn't clear before, then it certainly is now - this administration will throw civil service leaders under a bus without a moment's hesitation to shield ministers from any kind of accountability." Slater was the fifth top civil servant to be sacked in as many months.

His wife is Jane Ramsey, Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath, a Labour Party member of the House of Lords.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Positions held
Permanent Secretary to the Department for Education

People in Jonathan Slater's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jonathan Slater's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Jonathan Slater?

British civil servant (born 1961)

When was Jonathan Slater born?

Jonathan Slater was born on 29 November 1961.

What is Jonathan Slater's occupation?

Jonathan Slater is a civil servant.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jonathan Slater

· Wikidata: Q24006740

· DBpedia: Jonathan Slater

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jonathan Slater. https://biography.guide/jonathan-slater/

MLA: "Jonathan Slater." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jonathan-slater/.

Chicago: "Jonathan Slater." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jonathan-slater/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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