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Ed Balls announces Chair of OFQUAL, the regulator of qualifications and examinations

02 April 2008

Ed Balls today announced the appointment of Kathleen Tattersall OBE as the first Chair of the regulator of qualifications and examinations (Ofqual).

Ofqual will act as the independent guardian of standards across the qualifications, tests and exam system in England.

Ed Balls also announced that the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), to be known as the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA), will develop into an agency for developing curriculum, assessment and qualifications.

Subject to Parliamentary approval, these reforms will be put on a statutory basis, but interim arrangements are being introduced now under QCA's existing regulatory powers.

Kathleen Tattersall is the Chair of the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors. Until 2003 she was Director General of the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA), having been Chief Executive of a succession of awarding bodies over the previous twenty years. She will join the QCA Board and lead the regulator in its interim form.

Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, said:

"I am delighted to announce that Kathleen Tattersall OBE has been appointed to be the first Chair of Ofqual.

"Kathleen will lead Ofqual in its interim form, and, subject to legislation, she will become the regulator's first Chair when it is established as an independent statutory body.

"We have an internationally renowned curriculum, assessment and qualifications system. But the demands on the system are growing. We have in place far-reaching programmes for reforming qualifications and tests at all levels, which will make a key contribution to our plans to meet the economic and social challenges of the years ahead.

"People must be confident that tests and qualifications are as rigorous now as they were in the past, that standards across different qualifications and subjects at the same level are comparable, and that what is studied is both challenging and relevant to today's world.

"Ofqual will be responsible for securing the standards of qualifications, tests and assessment, and for ensuring that public investment in qualifications provides good value for money. Independent bodies already look at appeals against admissions decisions and at the quality of teaching and learning while in school. Our plans mean that at every stage of the school system, independent bodies will have clear responsibilities for ensuring fairness and high standards.

"QCA has shown robust independence in its work, managed the examination system tightly and carefully, and increased confidence in standards amongst teachers and students. Its work sits right at the heart of the education system, and is an important part of securing students' futures. I am grateful to the Board and staff of QCA for their ongoing commitment and hard work and for their contribution to these reforms.

"Kathleen Tattersall and Ofqual's acting Chief Executive, Isabel Nisbet, bring to Ofqual a wealth of experience and expertise. They will play critical leadership roles in setting up the new organisation, setting its strategic direction and developing the new regulatory framework which it will operate.

"Today is an important milestone in our plans to provide greater transparency in qualifications and tests and to secure the continuing public confidence in standards on which they depend."

Kathleen Tattersall said:

"The creation of Ofqual will herald a new era in the regulation of England's highly respected qualifications and examinations and I am delighted to have been appointed as its first Chair. As new developments come on stream, including Diplomas, we have the opportunity to build on the excellent work of QCA to ensure that our qualification system remains fit for purpose and of the highest quality. For learners, qualifications are a passport to further learning and employment and they deserve nothing less than the best: we will work with all our stakeholders to ensure that this is what they get. "

Sir Anthony Greener, Chairman of QCA, said:

"I warmly welcome the appointment of Kathleen Tattersall to the Board of QCA and Chair of Ofqual. There could be no more experienced or knowledgeable exam watchdog. We have worked closely together from her previous role at AQA and in her current role at the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors. She will be an excellent addition to the QCA Board over the next year and a very strong, vocal and independent Chair of the new Ofqual."

Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham said:

"I welcome the creation of Ofqual and the appointment of Kathleen Tattersall as its first Chair. Businesses and employers need confidence in the standards of both general and vocational qualifications. We know that employers, such as McDonald's, that are seeking to have their own training accredited as part of the national system welcome independent regulation, as it demonstrates that their qualifications meet the highest standards. Other employers will be equally reassured that qualifications offered by qualification bodies or training providers meet these standards."

Notes to Editors

  1. For media enquiries please call 0207 925 6789. For other enquiries please call 0870 000 2288.
  2. Also today, Ed Balls has today provided a more detailed update on these reforms to the House of Commons. For a copy of the Written Ministerial Statement please see www.parliament.uk or call 020 7925 6789
  3. Prior to legislation being passed to establish Ofqual on a statutory basis, Kathleen is a QCA Board member and Chair of its independent Ofqual committee.
  4. The appointment is for three years. The time commitment for the post is three days a week. Remuneration of £60,000 per annum will be paid through the QCA. Kathleen Tattersall's appointment as a QCA Board member commences on 2 April 2008. A biography can be found at http://www.ioea.org.uk/about_us/our_people/trustees/kathleen_tattersall.aspx
  5. QCA was set up under the Education Act 1997 as a non-departmental public body appointed by, and accountable to, the Secretary of State. All appointments and re-appointments to the QCA Board are made by the Secretary of State. The membership of the QCA Board can be found on http://www.qca.org.uk
  6. The appointment has been made in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) Code of Practice. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Kathleen has declared that she is a member of the Labour party.
  7. To consult on the detail of these plans, the Department and DIUS jointly published a joint command paper (Cm 7281) "Confidence in Standards: Regulating and developing qualifications and assessment" on 17 December. The paper sought views on the roles and powers of the independent regulator and the new development agency for curriculum, assessment and qualifications. The consultation period closed on 10 March. We will reflect on the responses as we develop our detailed proposals, on which we intend to legislate. In accordance with the relevant Cabinet Office code of practice, we will publish a formal response to the consultation paper by mid June.