Ofqual

Last week, I visited the education provision at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust part of Sandfield Park special school. What struck me was how flexible the provision is to adapt to the needs of young people facing difficult circumstances. The dedicated team provide educational support across various contexts, from children and young people staying in hospital for long periods, to those attending regularly as in-patients for treatments like dialysis, as well as a range of other physical and mental health issues. The team described their flexible and dynamic approach, carefully planning education around medical treatments while adapting to each child's health and wellbeing needs. The team shared some helpful reflections about the exams system for us to think about. We discussed the pros and cons of on-screen assessment, particularly as this impacts the students with whom they work, and also reflected on how useful technology can be in supporting the education of students who are not in their normal school for health-related reasons. My sincere thanks to Mark Hilton, Executive Headteacher of Sandfield Park, Wendy Henshaw, Hospital School Headteacher, Stephen Foster, Examinations Officer and schoolteacher Lindsey Worvell.

Over the last 2 weeks, students at more than 350 schools across the country have sat the National Reference Test. This is a short test that provides an objective measure of how year 11 students in England are performing in English language and maths. The tests have taken place every year since 2017, so the results enable us to monitor performance trends over time. Evidence from the test is used to inform the awarding of GCSE English language and maths. Participating in the National Reference Test adds to the workload of busy schools, but it’s a very important part of the qualifications system and we’re very grateful to the schools and the students participating. Thank you. More details about the National Reference Test are available here: https://lnkd.in/epm5xbDX

This week, I visited The JCB Academy (a University Technical College or UTC) and learnt about the business and engineering-focussed education it offers learners from Year 9 to Sixth Form. Thank you to Principal, Jim Bailey, and Vice-Principal, Tom Greene, for taking the time to talk to me and colleagues about the unique curriculum the Academy offers and the qualifications students take there. These include GCSEs, Level 2 Tech Awards, T Levels and A Levels. The Academy also provides training for apprentices. Armed with their qualifications, students progress on to a range of destinations including degree apprenticeships, other kinds of apprenticeships and training and university degree courses. It was great to have a tour of the specialist facilities for apprenticeships in engineering, manufacture and welding and see some of the impressive things students have made. As always, I really enjoyed hearing from students – thank you to those in Years 10, 12 and 13, in particular the head boy and head girl, who spoke to us so positively about their experiences at the Academy and their future aspirations.

🎓 Exciting opportunity to become an Ofqual Board Member! We’re looking for three exceptional individuals to join us as a Generalist Board Member, Vocational and Technical Qualifications Expert and Finance Expert. As a Board Member, you'll help ensure qualifications and assessments across England remain robust, fair and trusted, and will be central to supporting executive decision making. We're looking for strategic thinkers with strong analytical and decision-making abilities as well as experience in education, regulation, finance, the vocational and technology sector. The role is part time for three years with a salary of £9,000 per year. You’ll be expected to commit around 20 days to the role. If you want to make a real difference in qualifications, apply by Monday 17 March: Board Member Generalist: https://lnkd.in/eijuexeA Vocational and Technical Qualifications Expert: https://lnkd.in/ea3CtAcH Finance Expert: https://lnkd.in/ecJukzAF #JoinOfqual

In the past four weeks, our team at Ofqual has had the privilege to speak to more than 1,600 exams officers at conferences and engagements up and down the country. Exams officers are the unsung heroes of the exam system in England and contribute to the smooth running of exams and assessments. I know exams officers have a hard job and so I’m pleased we’ve been able to talk to so many of them and to help them get access to the resources they need. If you didn't manage to catch our team at one of the conferences, you can still read all our advice for schools and colleges here: https://lnkd.in/eCH8dAJG

It’s National Apprenticeship Week – so the perfect moment to visit Slough and Langley College and meet some great apprentices making the most of their opportunity to earn, learn new skills and forge their careers. Slough and Langley College, part of the The Windsor Forest Colleges Group, offers a broad range of apprenticeship programmes, tailored to local business need. A perfect example of this was meeting apprentices maintaining nearby Heathrow Airport’s huge fleet of HGVs. Talking with apprentices highlights the range of routes available to young people. There’s T Levels, apprenticeships, academic qualifications and a broad range of other vocational qualifications too. A huge thanks to Karen Griffiths, Group Vice Principal for Quality and Apprenticeships, Gillian May, CEO and Group Principal, Emma Raymond, Head of Business Development in Apprenticeships, Lorraine Levy, Head of Curriculum in Apprenticeships and the apprentices themselves, for taking the time to meet with us and share their insights.

I'm honoured to become the permanent appointment as Chief Regulator at Ofqual. Having spent most of my career in education, I'm committed to ensuring Ofqual continues its vital role as guardian of qualification standards. As Chief Regulator, my priority is clear. To protect the value and integrity of qualifications for everyone who relies on them - students, teachers, universities and employers alike. This permanent role combines my lifelong dedication to education with my firm belief in ensuring fairness in all our qualifications. I look forward to continuing this important work for all those taking qualifications. https://lnkd.in/et65UuKK

Join us as a senior officer in our complaints team! Are you someone with strong analytical skills, attention to detail, excellent communication skills and experience in stakeholder management? Then our senior officer role may be for you. What you'll do: ➡️ Handle enquiries, complaints, whistleblowing disclosures and malpractice allegations ➡️ Manage executive correspondence and parliamentary questions ➡️ Work collaboratively with colleagues across Ofqual to resolve complex cases ➡️ Review information and make sound judgements. The role is permanent with a salary of £33,540 - £39,413. No two days are the same in this role – you'll be motivated by doing the right thing and ensuring fair outcomes. Interested? Apply by 30 January: ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/ePinNrjd Find out what it’s like to work for us and the benefits of joining us, by checking out:⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eXvARvpM #JoinOfqual

Are you an experienced HR professional looking to make a real impact in the education sector? Then join us as an Associate Director of HR. You'll be the driving force behind our HR operations and shape how we attract, develop and retain brilliant people, while ensuring our HR practices are innovative, inclusive and data-driven. As part of your role, you’ll: 💼 develop and implement innovative resourcing strategies to attract top talent ➡️ oversee employee relations and policy development 🤝 build strong partnerships across senior leadership to enhance organisational capabilities 📊 use data insights to make decisions on HR practices 👩💼 support colleagues in all aspects of people matters, including people strategies, inclusion, talent, capacity and capability and recruitment. This is a 12-month fixed-term contract covering maternity leave and is open to current Civil Servants only at this stage. If you're a current Civil Servant with proven experience in HR operations, recruitment, and employee relations, plus a talent for building lasting stakeholder relationships, we want to hear from you. https://lnkd.in/givgsnnQ Apply by 4 February to join us in making Ofqual an even more exceptional place to work. #JoinOfqual

⏰ Last chance to apply for our Senior Manager role in Qualification Delivery! Join our qualifications delivery team who ensure vocational and technical qualifications are delivered safely. As a senior manager you will: 🔍 Carry out end-to-end monitoring of qualification delivery 👥 Work across Ofqual to ensure that vocational and technical qualifications are fit for purpose and benefit students, learners, the wider education system and the general public 🤝 Chair one to one reviews with awarding organisations and cross-cutting working groups 📈 Carry out data analysis and incident management. The role is fixed term for 9 months with a salary of £50,882 and £62,011 at grade 7. If you’re someone who can ask challenging questions and are able to manage competing priorities, apply by 11.55pm today. https://lnkd.in/ezHxhyqW Find out what it’s like to work for Ofqual and the benefits of joining us, by checking out: https://lnkd.in/eXvARvpM #JoinOfqual