It was set up as a private company limited by guarantee but will be reclassified as an Executive Non Departmental Public Body.
The council described the change as a 'bureaucratic exercise' that concerns the public accountability of funds and said it was due to a Government 'error' in its initial classification. It will continue to operate in the same way but report to the Government on finance and staffing. Staff will be classified as public servants.
Estelle Morris, the council's chair, said, 'We will continue to be the independent voice of the employer and both work with and challenge the Government.'
But Jon Richards, senior national officer at Unison's education workforce unit, said that the change 'raises issues in the long term about the future independence of the CWDC'.
Steve Alexander, Pre-school Learning Alliance chief executive and CWDC board member, said, 'We didn't want it to be an arm of the DfES. But we have been told that the change will not compromise our independence.'
The DfES said the CWDC had shown that it was 'a trusted partner and critical friend to Government' and the change should not have any effect on its business.
