The two agencies will merge from April this year and will have a remit including teacher training, CPD and supporting school improvement.
The Teaching Agency was established as an executive agency of the Department for Education in April last year and is responsible for teacher supply and retention, teacher quality, and regulation.
The National College works to develop school leaders and oversees programmes including Teaching Schools and leadership qualifications.
Current Teaching Agency chief executive Charlie Taylor, pictured, has been appointed to lead the new body.
Headteachers this week urged Mr Taylor to work with them to drive up morale in schools. Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers said: “Given that the quality of leadership and the quality of teaching are the two most powerful forces in education, one could argue that this is a uniquely important brief; pivotal in fact. We wish Charlie Taylor well and look forward to working closely with him to rebuild morale and develop skills across our schools.”
Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, added: “This new agency has the potential to bring, for the first time, a completely coherent approach to the professional development of teachers and other staff, from initial training through to headship and beyond.
“However, these are two very different agencies with considerable overlap in their responsibilities. The real challenge will be to make sure that the best elements of both organisations are retained and merged, while not allowing it to become too large and unwieldy.”
Mr Taylor said: “I think the decision to merge makes very good sense and there is a clear rationale for the new organisation. Teaching schools and academy chains will be at the heart of these changes with outstanding headteachers working to create the best school system in the world.”