The first report of the Chief Regulator

As Chief Regulator of qualifications and examinations in England, Kathleen Tattersall, provides a comprehensive account of the system and Ofqual's first year of existence.

The report considers key themes including public confidence, standards and independence and provides details on some of the main events in the qualifications system since Ofqual's launch in April 2008.  Among the key recommendations in the report is the need to pilot effectively all new national qualifications before they are offered on a large scale.  This recommendation is followed by a set of principles which cover:

• When should qualifications be piloted?
• Who decides when qualifications should be piloted?
• What principles should govern a pilot?
• When can a piloted qualification be offered nationally?

Kathleen Tattersall said:

"The Chief Regulator's Report has been produced to coincide with our first anniversary and to allow me to present my own commentary on this productive year.

"This report tackles the challenging issues that have faced us, as regulator, over the last 12 months.  At our launch in 2008 we clearly stated that we wished to shine a light on the challenging issues and to report openly and honestly on issues that we identified. We have done that this year and will continue to do so. A clear issue arising from this report, and our first year as regulator, is the one of piloting all new national qualifications thoroughly before rolling them out to large numbers of students. This will ensure that lessons can be learnt in the pilot phase of a qualification and any issues can be addressed so that the qualifications that learners undertake are fit for purpose and have real value.

"Reporting openly and honestly and listening to different opinions, including those of learners, is vital.  Through this approach Ofqual is already making progress with regard to achieving its mission of being the independent regulator of qualifications, tests and assessments that are valued and trusted by learners, users and the wider public."

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1. A copy of the report can be downloaded by following the link on the top-right of this page
2. Ofqual in its interim form is a part of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). On 2 April 2008, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, announced that the government intended to legislate to make Ofqual a separate statutory authority reporting directly to Parliament.
3. For further information journalists should contact the Ofqual press office on 0300 303 3342, or 07798 924552 outside office hours. Members of the public should call the Ofqual helpline on 0300 303 3346.