51²è¹Ý

This document has been subject to redactions.

Time

9:00am

Attendees

Board

Susan Barratt 

Sir Ian Bauckham CBE, Chief Regulator

Hardip Begol CBE  

Mark Farrar

Cindy Leslie 

Dr Catherine McClellan  (V) 

Chris Paterson 

Clare Pelham 

Matt Tee

Frances Wadsworth CBE, Chair

Dr Susan Tranter, Chair Designate, attended the meeting as an Observer.

Ofqual

David Bowden, Executive Director, Finance and Operations

Tom Bramley  (V), Executive Director, Research and Analysis

Daniel Gutteridge, General Counsel

Michael Hanton, Deputy Chief Regulator 

Catherine Large OBE, Executive Director, Vocational and Technical Qualifications

Dr Ian Stockford, Executive Director, Standards

Amanda Swann, Executive Director, General Qualifications

Matt Trimmer, Executive Director, Strategy

Also present

Tom Barcham, Associate Director, Risk and Markets (Item 34/24)

Jo Handford, Associate Director, Strategic Projects and Innovation

(Item 36/24)

Matthew Humphrey, Director of Legal Moderation and Enforcement (Item 38/24)

Laura Moores, Associate Director, Strategy (Item 35/24)

Board Secretary

Kelly Sherlock, Associate Director, Legal Operations (Item 38/24)

Lydia Waine, Director of Legal Affairs and Governance

Mary Webb, Head of Private Office

Private Secretary

Frances Wilson, Associate Director, Vocational and Technical Qualifications Standards and Issues (Item 36/24)

28/24 Welcome and apologies for absence

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. In particular, Dr Susan Tranter, Chair designate, who had been invited to observe this meeting. 

There were no apologies for absence.

29/24 Declarations of interest

There were no declarations of interest for this meeting. 

30/24 Minutes and matters arising

i. Approval of minutes of meeting held on 9 October 2024

With no amendments, the minutes of the board meeting held on 9 October 2024 were approved.

ii. Matters arising from previous board meetings

One matter remains open:

a. In relation to matter 12/24, the board was advised that work on the Framework Document is still ongoing but it is hoped to be in a position to be able to send to HM Treasury shortly. The matter will remain open.

All other matters arising have been closed.

iii. Reports and recommendations from board committees

The chair of the People, Resources and Finance Committee (PRF) gave a brief verbal update to the board on the most recent meeting. 

The chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) gave a brief verbal update to the board on the most recent meeting. 

iv to v. Minutes from board committee meetings

The approved minutes from all previous board committee meetings that had taken place since the last board meeting were received and noted.

31/24 Decisions taken by electronic business

No decisions had been taken by electronic business since the previous board meeting. 

32/24 Chief Regulator’s report

The board received an update from the Chief Regulator.

The Chief Regulator advised that he had now attended his pre-appointment hearing with the Education Select Committee and a report should be published with their determination by the end of the week. 

The board was reminded that Ofqual had submitted a response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s (CAR) call for evidence on 22 November. There had been further engagement with the panel; Dr Ian Stockford had presented on the maintenance of standards and other teams at Ofqual had been commissioned and were providing expert input. 

The board was advised that Ofqual continues to work closely with DfE on the development of Skills England and is building a good working relationship with the team who are leading on the development of Skills England. The board discussed the potential future role of Ofqual in the redesigned system, and noted that if Ofqual’s functions were to change, it would expect both the additional specific work and wider resource implications for the organisation to be reflected in additional funding.

The Chief Regulator advised there had been no significant areas of thematic concern with the 2024 summer series. 

The board was advised that the combined GQ and VTQ delivery report for summer 2024 is due to be published on 12 December 2024. 

The board was advised of various communications and stakeholder engagement activities. These included the publication of a range of materials on arrangements for exams and assessments in 2024 to 2025 and updated versions of Ofqual’s guides for students, schools and colleges. The Chief Regulator and other colleagues had spoken at a number of external conferences and there are plans for a ‘fireside’ chat with the General Secretary of ASCL to help strengthen understanding of grading. 

With respect to the awarding of GQs in 2025, the board was advised that the normal approach to awarding GCSEs and A levels will be used. As there were no KS2 tests in 2020 or 2021 there will be no GCSE cohort-level prior attainment data available which is normally used, along with examiner judgement, to support the maintenance of standards. 

The board was advised that the new STA-developed version of the digital Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) is due to go live in September 2025. 

Ofqual’s National Assessments regulation annual report for 2024 will be published on 17 December.

The board was informed of the successful summit of regulators, industry licensing organisations and government agencies to launch an action plan to tackle qualification fraud. This was an initiative taken by Ofqual which had been widely applauded. 

Another successful Ofqual initiative saw the publication of a series of research reports on CASLO qualifications and findings were shared at a launch event on 18 November. The board was advised that the reception of the research had been overwhelmingly positive. 

With apologies, Chris Paterson left the meeting at 9:55am.

33/24 Finance update

The Executive Director, Finance and Operations advised the board on the position at Period 6 as reported in the paper. There had been an increase of £68,000 from the underspend position reported at the last meeting due to significant movement in areas such as the National Reference Test contract, a decrease in accommodation and depreciation costs due to IFRS 16 and the recovery of Civil Service pension employer contributions as part of the Supplementary Estimate. 

The outcome of phase one of the Spending Review, covering financial year 2025 to 2026, was received in October. Although it was a good result on the whole, it has made for a challenging budget, which will be brought to the board for approval at the March 2025 meeting. The Supplementary Estimate return has been submitted. The board asked whether Ofqual would be able to bid for the new innovation fund. This will be considered. 

ACTION:DB

34/24 Strategic Risk and Risk Tolerance

The Associate Director, Risk and Markets presented the Strategic Risk Register to the board. 

The board was reminded that there was an annual review of risk tolerance and this was presented for board approval. 

The chair of ARAC advised that both the Strategic Risk Register and the risk tolerance had been discussed at their last meeting.

RESOLVED

The board noted the changes in the Strategic Risk Register and endorsed the proposed risk tolerance statements for each strategic risk. 

Chris Paterson re-joined the meeting at 10:25am.

35/24Ìý°ä´Ç°ù±è´Ç°ù²¹³Ù±ð strategy development 2025 to 2026

The Executive Director, Strategy outlined the work undertaken since the previous board meeting and presented a refined focus, objectives and goals in response to the board’s feedback and steer. 

The board discussed the choices about where to focus, along with the narrative around the strategic objectives proposed. The board welcomed the further opportunity to be able to steer the strategy, as the work evolves. The board endorsed the direction presented in the strategy. 

The board was advised their feedback would be incorporated into the next phase which would be to present the 3-year Ofqual strategy for 2025 to 2028 for sign off at the March meeting.

36/24Ìý°¿²Ô-²õ³¦°ù±ð±ð²Ô ²¹²õ²õ±ð²õ²õ³¾±ð²Ô³ÙÌýÌýÌý

The board was given a presentation by the Associate Director, Strategic Projects and Innovation about Ofqual’s approach to considering on-screen assessment (OSA). 

37/24 The future of awarding programme

The board was given a presentation by the Executive Director, Standards, on upcoming work in support of Ofqual’s statutory objectives. 

The board noted the value of Ofqual carrying out this work and engaging with the issue. 

38/24Ìý·¡²Ô´Ú´Ç°ù³¦±ð³¾±ð²Ô³Ù: Additional revisions to the Taking Regulatory Action policy and governance changes

The board was advised that since their last consideration of the Taking Regulatory Action (TRA) policy there had been a number of significant enforcement cases. The Strategic Enforcement Committee (SEC) had also met and discussed some further changes to the TRA. Some further proposals to streamline the enforcement processes, not discussed with the SEC, had been identified and set out in the paper. 

There was discussion around proposed revisions to the enforcement process. 

The board agreed all the recommendations set out in the paper.

RESOLVED

39/24Ìý±Ê³Ü²ú±ô¾±³¦²¹³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô of papers

The board agreed to publish the Open Papers.

40/24Ìý´¡²Ô²â other business

There were no items of any other business. 

Next board meetings

The next board meeting will be held in Coventry on Wednesday 19 March 2025.

The meeting ended at 1:42pm.