Adam Steedman Thake
@thakeman.bsky.social
Policy and Evidence Manager at AQA, former Civil Servant, and former-former primary teacher.
Professionally focusing on SEND and Digital Literacy. Personally focusing on renovating my house and cricket.
All views own etc.
Professionally focusing on SEND and Digital Literacy. Personally focusing on renovating my house and cricket.
All views own etc.
That's a fair assessment. It is pretty techy policy wonk stuff (which, as a techy policy wonk, I live and breathe for!).
But it is also the bread and butter, day-to-day, BAU governance of a struggling system. (OK, perhaps techy policy wonk again)
But a first step of 'gripping the nettle', perhaps?
But it is also the bread and butter, day-to-day, BAU governance of a struggling system. (OK, perhaps techy policy wonk again)
But a first step of 'gripping the nettle', perhaps?
February 10, 2026 at 10:44 AM
That's a fair assessment. It is pretty techy policy wonk stuff (which, as a techy policy wonk, I live and breathe for!).
But it is also the bread and butter, day-to-day, BAU governance of a struggling system. (OK, perhaps techy policy wonk again)
But a first step of 'gripping the nettle', perhaps?
But it is also the bread and butter, day-to-day, BAU governance of a struggling system. (OK, perhaps techy policy wonk again)
But a first step of 'gripping the nettle', perhaps?
With all the oxygen taken up by *gestures vaguely at everything else going on*, it was a helluva day to bury good news. A shame it hasn’t cut through.
February 10, 2026 at 10:17 AM
With all the oxygen taken up by *gestures vaguely at everything else going on*, it was a helluva day to bury good news. A shame it hasn’t cut through.
While I fully agree that performance management (at all levels) is a problem in the Civil Service (and in other industries!), I don’t think the Darren Jones solution (Ministerial KPIs for SCS) is going to work. What makes a Minister an inherently good manager? Should Ministers’ even be ‘managers’?
January 25, 2026 at 11:38 AM
While I fully agree that performance management (at all levels) is a problem in the Civil Service (and in other industries!), I don’t think the Darren Jones solution (Ministerial KPIs for SCS) is going to work. What makes a Minister an inherently good manager? Should Ministers’ even be ‘managers’?
But what do you think think? Do you agree with my concerns? Am I being overly pessimistic? 10/10
Available to watch here also: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/modern...
#civilservicereform #civilservice
Available to watch here also: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/modern...
#civilservicereform #civilservice
Move fast and fix things: Modernising Whitehall to deliver for Britain | Institute for Government
Keynote speech from Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Darren Jones MP.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
January 21, 2026 at 10:44 AM
But what do you think think? Do you agree with my concerns? Am I being overly pessimistic? 10/10
Available to watch here also: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/modern...
#civilservicereform #civilservice
Available to watch here also: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/modern...
#civilservicereform #civilservice
It's an interesting piece, but the journalists' questions of "What makes THIS speech about Civil Service Reform different from the last umpteen?" really get to the heart of the matter.
9/10
9/10
Move fast and fix things: Modernising Whitehall to deliver for Britain | Institute for Government
Keynote speech from Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Darren Jones MP.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
January 21, 2026 at 10:44 AM
It's an interesting piece, but the journalists' questions of "What makes THIS speech about Civil Service Reform different from the last umpteen?" really get to the heart of the matter.
9/10
9/10
I know Jones is talking about a reimagined British State with departments working differently. But I don’t believe they will do away with The Great Offices Of State (politicians want to be Home Sec/Lord Chancellor etc). So there will always be a Home Office and MoJ in some form. 8/10
January 21, 2026 at 10:44 AM
I know Jones is talking about a reimagined British State with departments working differently. But I don’t believe they will do away with The Great Offices Of State (politicians want to be Home Sec/Lord Chancellor etc). So there will always be a Home Office and MoJ in some form. 8/10
Similarly, if one SCS in the Home Office has a KPI set by the Home Secretary, and another SCS in the Ministry of Justice has a different (perhaps mutually exclusive) KPI set by the Lord Chancellor, will two SCS get the sack for what is a misalignment between departments? 7/10
January 21, 2026 at 10:44 AM
Similarly, if one SCS in the Home Office has a KPI set by the Home Secretary, and another SCS in the Ministry of Justice has a different (perhaps mutually exclusive) KPI set by the Lord Chancellor, will two SCS get the sack for what is a misalignment between departments? 7/10
If their job is on the line for a Ministerial bugbear, will they provide robust challenge which is the hallmark of good policy and interventions? If a SCS is on the hook for - oh I dunno, let's make something up - let's say “annexing Greenland.” Is that fair? 6/10
January 21, 2026 at 10:44 AM
If their job is on the line for a Ministerial bugbear, will they provide robust challenge which is the hallmark of good policy and interventions? If a SCS is on the hook for - oh I dunno, let's make something up - let's say “annexing Greenland.” Is that fair? 6/10
For a speech that focused on ‘delivery’, it also worries me how this would work (or “be delivered”). It is all well and good having a target set by a realistic Minister, grounded in reality. But it isn’t hard to imagine a different set of ministers in charge, with wilder ideas. 5/10
January 21, 2026 at 10:44 AM
For a speech that focused on ‘delivery’, it also worries me how this would work (or “be delivered”). It is all well and good having a target set by a realistic Minister, grounded in reality. But it isn’t hard to imagine a different set of ministers in charge, with wilder ideas. 5/10
But the proposed cures for these issues worry me. What is billed as a “a fundamental rewiring” seems rather shocking. The suggestion that SCS should be given Key Performance Indicators from Ministers concerns me. This seems to ride roughshod over the impartiality of the Civil Service. 4/10
January 21, 2026 at 10:44 AM
But the proposed cures for these issues worry me. What is billed as a “a fundamental rewiring” seems rather shocking. The suggestion that SCS should be given Key Performance Indicators from Ministers concerns me. This seems to ride roughshod over the impartiality of the Civil Service. 4/10
And Darren Jones’ story of only 7 out of 7000 Senior Civil Servants (SCS) being on a development plan for poor performance was striking. Poor performance needs to be tackled rather than ignored, at all levels. Support and should be the first tool, before more structured interventions. 3/10
January 21, 2026 at 10:44 AM
And Darren Jones’ story of only 7 out of 7000 Senior Civil Servants (SCS) being on a development plan for poor performance was striking. Poor performance needs to be tackled rather than ignored, at all levels. Support and should be the first tool, before more structured interventions. 3/10
I agree with the diagnosis of cross-departmental working being painful, when it should be an opportunity for genuine collaboration on important things. There are problems that need to be addressed, I don’t think anyone would argue "the civil service is perfect, thank you very much!" 2/10
January 21, 2026 at 10:44 AM
I agree with the diagnosis of cross-departmental working being painful, when it should be an opportunity for genuine collaboration on important things. There are problems that need to be addressed, I don’t think anyone would argue "the civil service is perfect, thank you very much!" 2/10
An equally big takeaway is surely the EO pay being stagnant for a decade (it looks like EO pay is c.£24k - the same as when I entered DfE as an EO 10 years ago). How can you attract talented junior civil servants (who become tomorrow's mid- senior-CS) when they will be struggling to make ends meet?
January 13, 2026 at 10:58 AM
An equally big takeaway is surely the EO pay being stagnant for a decade (it looks like EO pay is c.£24k - the same as when I entered DfE as an EO 10 years ago). How can you attract talented junior civil servants (who become tomorrow's mid- senior-CS) when they will be struggling to make ends meet?
Whether 'focusing better' is the desired outcome is a conversation to be had.
November 19, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Whether 'focusing better' is the desired outcome is a conversation to be had.
Take your point on that to an extent. but amphetamines do help people with ADHD 'focus better'. Although they help EVERYONE focus better, because that's what amphetamines do (speaking of tautologies!) They were handed out to soldiers in WW2 for exactly this purpose...
November 19, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Take your point on that to an extent. but amphetamines do help people with ADHD 'focus better'. Although they help EVERYONE focus better, because that's what amphetamines do (speaking of tautologies!) They were handed out to soldiers in WW2 for exactly this purpose...
A wild Laura McInerney appeared!
Amazing, thank you so much! Will have a proper listen.
Amazing, thank you so much! Will have a proper listen.
November 19, 2025 at 10:38 AM
A wild Laura McInerney appeared!
Amazing, thank you so much! Will have a proper listen.
Amazing, thank you so much! Will have a proper listen.
Again, don't mean to come across as facetious. I often find it tricky to navigate sensitive discussion through BlueSky and text in general!
Thanks again for your considered responses!
Thanks again for your considered responses!
November 19, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Again, don't mean to come across as facetious. I often find it tricky to navigate sensitive discussion through BlueSky and text in general!
Thanks again for your considered responses!
Thanks again for your considered responses!
Equally, broken bones aren't treated at root cause (dodgy carpet at top of stairs, meaning I fell down the stairs and broke my leg), they treat the symptom (leg bone is broken, can't walk as leg is broken).
November 19, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Equally, broken bones aren't treated at root cause (dodgy carpet at top of stairs, meaning I fell down the stairs and broke my leg), they treat the symptom (leg bone is broken, can't walk as leg is broken).
But you go to the doctor with a swollen, painful knee, and go for an X-ray or MRI scan, which rules out a break/ligament. And get diagnosed with 'arthritis', which is Medical Latin for 'swollen painful joint' - which is descriptive and tautological.
Is it the testing that removes the tautology?...
Is it the testing that removes the tautology?...
November 19, 2025 at 10:17 AM
But you go to the doctor with a swollen, painful knee, and go for an X-ray or MRI scan, which rules out a break/ligament. And get diagnosed with 'arthritis', which is Medical Latin for 'swollen painful joint' - which is descriptive and tautological.
Is it the testing that removes the tautology?...
Is it the testing that removes the tautology?...
Could one not argue that many medical conditions are tautological? A broken leg is a "tibia that has been broken".
Appreciate that they need X-rays and tests, so different perhaps?...
Appreciate that they need X-rays and tests, so different perhaps?...
November 19, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Could one not argue that many medical conditions are tautological? A broken leg is a "tibia that has been broken".
Appreciate that they need X-rays and tests, so different perhaps?...
Appreciate that they need X-rays and tests, so different perhaps?...
On the dopamine receptors point, I can't say I'm an expert so a lot is taken on faith. Completely take your point
A clarificatory question on 'tautological diagnosis'...
A clarificatory question on 'tautological diagnosis'...
November 19, 2025 at 10:17 AM
On the dopamine receptors point, I can't say I'm an expert so a lot is taken on faith. Completely take your point
A clarificatory question on 'tautological diagnosis'...
A clarificatory question on 'tautological diagnosis'...
Thank you very much for taking the time to provide such a deep, detailed answer. A lot to unpack! It is hugely appreciated.
I hadn't seen Prof BC (who I think is excellent) saying that - have you got a link?...
I hadn't seen Prof BC (who I think is excellent) saying that - have you got a link?...
November 19, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Thank you very much for taking the time to provide such a deep, detailed answer. A lot to unpack! It is hugely appreciated.
I hadn't seen Prof BC (who I think is excellent) saying that - have you got a link?...
I hadn't seen Prof BC (who I think is excellent) saying that - have you got a link?...
Not trying to be a dick! Just trying to get a better understanding of a complicated area.
November 19, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Not trying to be a dick! Just trying to get a better understanding of a complicated area.
And you think this isn't the case? I understand some of the scepticism re diagnostic criteria, it is not as precise as some may like.
But prior to 2013, you could not be diagnosed with both Autism and ADHD which to me indicates better understanding of condition. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
But prior to 2013, you could not be diagnosed with both Autism and ADHD which to me indicates better understanding of condition. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
The Co-Occurrence of Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children – What Do We Know?
Symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) often co-occur. The DSM-IV had specified that an ASD diagnosis is an exclusion criterion for ADHD, thereby limiting research of this common clinical ...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
November 19, 2025 at 9:27 AM
And you think this isn't the case? I understand some of the scepticism re diagnostic criteria, it is not as precise as some may like.
But prior to 2013, you could not be diagnosed with both Autism and ADHD which to me indicates better understanding of condition. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
But prior to 2013, you could not be diagnosed with both Autism and ADHD which to me indicates better understanding of condition. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...