Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation

Department for Education

OfQual

Website, About

OfQual is a non-ministerial department, which regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England.

Ofqual was established in interim form in Apr.2008 as part of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), taking over the regulatory functions that had previously been undertaken by the QCA directly through its regulation and standards division. It was always intended that Ofqual would be an entirely separate body from the QCA. This was achieved in Apr.2010 when Ofqual was established as a non-ministerial government department under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009.

Timelines

Mar.2012	QCDA was closed as part of the govt's wider education reforms, and replaced in function by the Standards & Testing Agency, responsible for developing and delivering all statutory assessments for school pupils in England. About, Webpage
Oct.2011 Cons/LibDem (Cameron/Clegg)	STA: the Standards & Testing Agency was formed as an executive agency of the Department for Education, and took over the functions of the QCDA. The STA is responsible for developing and delivering all statutory assessments for school pupils in England; develops the professional skills tests for trainee teachers; and manages the Yellow Label Service for secure dispatch of traceable exam scripts.ref It is regulated by OfQual.ref
Nov.2009	QCDA: The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency was created when the QCA was split. The QCDA was established as a charity, and an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Education. In England and Northern Ireland, the QCDA maintained, developed, improved and reformed the National Curriculum and associated assessments, tests and examinations, advising the Secretary of State for Education. It also created OfQual as an independent regulatory organisation. (Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009) qcda.gov.uk
Apr.2008	OfQual began work as the independent regulator of exams and tests in England, accountable to Parliament rather than to govt ministers. The QCA's remaining work was transferred to the OfQual. The QCA was formally integrated into OfQual when Ofqual gained statutory status.
Sept.2007 Labour (Brown)	OfQual: the QCA's regulatory functions became statutorily independent (as OfQual), with the QCA's remaining functions established as the Qualifications & Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA), an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Children, Schools & Families (forerunner to the Department for Education), operated by the legal entity QCA.
Apr.2004	NAA: the National Assessment Agency was launched by the QCA to develop and deliver high-quality national curriculum tests and supervise the delivery and modernisation of GCSE and A level examinations. The National Assessment Agency was transformed into a subdivision and its functions subsumed within the management structure of the QCA. naa.org.uk
Oct.1997 Labour (Blair)	QCA: the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority was formed through a merger of the NCVQ (for vocational qualifications) and the SCAA (for academic qualifications). The Education Act 1997 established the role of the QCA, and granted it additional powers and duties. Section 24 of the Act granted the QCA the right to regulate all external qualifications in England. The QCA operated as an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Education & Skills in England and Wales. Its role was to regulate awarding bodies, qualifications, examinations and national curriculum assessments, and to keep under review all aspects of the National Nurriculum and to advise the Secretary of State on matters concerned with the curriculum. qca.org.uk
Oct.1993 Conservatives (Major)	SCAA: the School Curriculum & Assessment Authority replaced the SEAC.
Aug.1988	SEAC: the School Examinations and Assessment Council was established, and took over some of its functions from the Secondary Examinations Council. The SEAC was required to review all aspects of examinations and assessment and to advise the Secretary of State when required. In addition, it was to publish and disseminate information relating to these subjects.ref (Education Reform Act 1988)
1986 Conservatives (Thatcher)	NCVQ: National Council for Vocational Qualifications was set up to reform and rationalise the system of vocational qualifications by establishing a national vocational qualification framework in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

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Additional Sources: Records of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications and Successors. The National Archives. Accessed Aug.22.2020.

ToDo: AQA history, INCA archive, School Curriculum and Assessment Authority, Awarding bodies (p.1)

Articles

• Aug.25.2020: Ofqual announces interim leadership arrangements. OfQual put into "Special Measures"? The Ofqual Board has agreed interim leadership arrangements with Ofsted to support the ongoing work on this summer’s GCSE, A level and vocational qualifications. OfQual, Gov.uk.

• Aug.24.2020: Exam results row deepens as Ofqual hits back at statistics body. Chair of regulator in England says RSS’s comments caused suspicion about its algorithm. Sally Weale, The Guardian.

• Aug.21.2020: Back Ofqual or I quit, chair of regulator told Gavin Williamson. Roger Taylor demanded education secretary admit Ofqual was behind exams U-turn that salvaged millions of student grades. The ultimatum came after Education secretary Gavin Williamson tried to lay the blame for the exams fiasco at Ofqual's door following a humiliating climbdown. Richard Adams, Heather Stewart, The Guardian.