Ofqual announces interim leadership arrangements

The Ofqual Board has agreed temporary support arrangements with Ofsted to support the ongoing work on this summer’s GCSE, A level and vocational qualifications, including appeals and autumn exams, and preparations for next year’s exam season.

The Chief Regulator, Sally Collier, has decided that the next stage of the awarding process would be better overseen by new leadership. The Ofqual Board supports Sally in this decision, and thanks her for her leadership and service over the past 4 years, which has included overseeing the successful introduction of an entirely new set of GCSEs and A levels, and a new grading system.

As a result, the Ofqual Board has asked Dame Glenys Stacey to assume a temporary leadership role as acting Chief Regulator until December 2020, having previously served as Chief Regulator between 2011 and 2016. She will be supported by a new committee of the Ofqual Board, which will include one or more of the current Ofsted Board members. This new committee will be chaired by Amanda Spielman and will oversee the work of Ofqual to the end of the year. Roger Taylor remains Ofqual Chair.

If required, Ofsted will also provide additional staff to support Ofqual during the autumn, as they have been supporting other government departments through the summer.

Taken together these arrangements will ensure that Ofqual has the extra capacity, support and oversight it needs both to tackle the remaining issues from this year’s awarding process and to ensure that next year’s arrangements command public confidence.