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This document has been subject to redactions

Date

Wednesday 9 October 2024

Time

9:00am

Attendees

Board

• Susan Barratt (V)
• Sir Ian Bauckham CBE, Chief Regulator
• Hardip Begol CBE (V)
• Mark Farrar
• Cindy Leslie
• Dr Catherine McClellan
• Chris Paterson (V)
• Clare Pelham
• Matt Tee
• Frances Wadsworth CBE, Chair

Ofqual

• David Bowden, Executive Director, Finance and Operations
• Tom Bramley, Executive Director, Research and Analysis
• Daniel Gutteridge, General Counsel
• Michael Hanton, Deputy Chief Regulator
• Catherine Large OBE, Executive Director, Vocational and Technical Qualifications
• Amanda Swann, Executive Director, General Qualifications
• Matt Trimmer, Executive Director, Strategy

Also Present

• Tom Barcham, Associate Director, Risk and Markets (Item 22/24)
• Senior Manager, Strategy (Item 22/24)
• Jo Handford, Associate Director, Strategic Projects and Innovation (Item 23/24)
• Senior Strategy Manager (AI) (Item 23/24)
• Laura Moores, Associate Director, Strategy (Item 24/24)
• Board Secretary
• Lydia Waine, Director of Legal Affairs and Governance
• Mary Webb, Head of Private Office
• Private Secretary

(V) denotes virtual attendance

16/24 Welcome and apologies for absence

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Dr Ian Stockford.

17/24 Declarations of Interest

There were no declarations of interest.

18/24 Minutes and matters arising

i. Approval of Minutes of meeting held on 3 July 2024

With no amendments, the Minutes of the Board meeting held on 3 July 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 is still ongoing.

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 - 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.

19/24 Decisions taken by electronic business

The Board noted 3 items of electronic business since the previous Board meeting:

• i. E02/24: Re-appointment of Board Committee Members (approved 05 August 2024)
• ii. E03/24: Appointment of Board Member to Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (approved 23 August 2024)
• iii. E04/24: Approval of Spending Review 2025 to 2026 (approved 09 September 2024)

20/24 Chief Regulator’s report

The Board received an update from the Chief Regulator.

The Board was advised that the Chief Regulator had already had a number of positive meetings with the new ministerial team at the Department for Education (DfE). He was due to meet ministers again over the next fortnight.

One of the initiatives from the new government, a Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR), was launched in July and a Call for Evidence has been issued. The Board was advised that Ofqual will provide expert briefings to the CAR Panel. The Panel has set out some noteworthy principles, including a strong commitment to recommendations being evidence and data informed.

The Board was advised that the Skills England Bill is about to be brought before Parliament and this will bring IfATE’s functions into the DfE.

The Board offered warm congratulations on the summer series which had progressed smoothly and without significant incident. The Chief Regulator advised that the media and communications narrative had worked well and played an important role in upholding Ofqual’s statutory duty to promote public confidence in regulated qualifications.

The Board was advised that the outcomes of the National Reference Test (NRT) were published on GCSE results day. The Chief Regulator had made the decision not to require exam boards to make adjustments to grading standards in light of the NRT results.

The Board was given a further update on a specific matter arising from the summer series relating to the Pearson GCSE English Language 1EN2 specification.

The Board was advised that Ofqual is aiming to publish the annual report on the regulation of National Assessments earlier than in previous years.

The Board was invited to attend the ‘CASLO’ launch on 18 November, which would showcase a series of research reports on qualifications designed to ‘Confirm the Acquisition of Specified Learning Outcomes’, due to be published in November.

21/24 Finance Update

The Executive Director, Finance and Operations, advised the Board on the position at Period 4 as reported in the paper.

The Board was given a verbal update and advised that, since the Period 4 reporting, there had been savings from the NRT contract and from office costs. The qualifications review spending is also significantly lower as a result of the pause in this activity but it was noted that any excess would be handed back to the DfE.

22/24 Strategic Risk

The Board was advised of the closure of cyclical risks relating to awarding in summer 2024 and the re-opening of risks related to 2024 to 2025 delivery.

The Board was reminded that the annual review of Risk Tolerance will be presented to both ARAC and the Board at their next meetings.

The Chair of ARAC reported that the Committee felt the paper on the risk register was very clear. There had been positive discussion on the changes outlined and strong endorsement that the Board accept the recommendations.

RESOLVED

The Board noted the changes in the Strategic Risk Register and endorsed the proposed risk tolerances for the 4 new and reopened risks.

23/24 Internal Use of artificial intelligence (AI)

At the request of the Board during a previous meeting, the Associate Director, Strategic Projects and Innovation and the Senior Strategy Manager (AI) gave a presentation to the Board on the work being conducted around Ofqual’s internal use of AI.

The Board was advised of the decision taken to trial Microsoft Copilot, using a small number of employees, to see if the use of this AI tool could improve efficiency and productivity in certain areas. The pilot is taking place with guidance for colleagues on safe and appropriate use of AI and with the correct data security arrangements in place.

The Board was advised that there had been engagement with other regulators and government departments with sharing of good practice. Ofqual is mindful of the need to keep at the forefront of innovation but is taking a cautious and intentionally thoughtful approach to considering any use of AI internally.

The Board welcomed the presentation and asked to be kept informed.

24/24 Corporate Strategy Development 2025 to 2026

The Board was reminded of the first Corporate Strategy Development session which had been the diagnostic stage of the process, focusing on understanding the context and identifying choices for the new corporate strategy. The Board was advised that the next stage is the development of Ofqual’s guiding policy where the identified choices are used to define priorities and intended outcomes.

The Board was presented with the draft purpose, context and role and Ofqual’s proposed 5 objectives and goals for 2025 to 2028. In principle, the Board agreed with the 5 proposed objectives and was advised that the refined strategic priorities and goals will be brought to the December Board meeting for agreement.

The Board was reminded that the Ofqual Spending Review submission for 2025 to 2026 had been submitted to HM Treasury.

25/24 Publication of papers

The Board agreed to publish the Open Papers.

26/24 Any other business

Board/Committee meeting dates 2025 to 2026

The Board had received a copy of the proposed dates for Board and Committee meetings from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.

The Chair of the People, Resources and Finance Committee advised that the September date for the Committee meeting was being rescheduled.

RESOLVED

With the exception of the September date for the People, Resources and Finance Committee meeting, the Board agreed the dates provided for Board and Committee meetings for 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.

Next Board meeting:

The next Board meeting will be held on Wednesday 11 December 2024.

The meeting will be held in Coventry.

The meeting ended at 11:45am.