Special feature: A New Dawn

It is almost four years since then education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville announced wide-reaching reforms that included the replacement of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). Much work has taken place since, with the transition to new awarding body Qualifications Scotland expected to complete by the end of this year. For SQA chair Shirley Rogers it could not be a more exciting time.

“Our corporate plan sets out our vision as much as we’re able to while the Education Bill, which includes the new qualifications body, is still live, but it’s an ambitious corporate plan,” Rogers says. “We called it A Prospectus for Change because that’s exactly what it is. It’s not an accident that we’re talking about change, and the corporate plan has some key messages in it. 

“The first one, which I think is really brave, is that we want to reset our relationship with learners, teachers and practitioners. We want to win back their trust – there’s no dodging that and neither do we want to.

“The second one is that we need to grasp the potential of technology to make our services more efficient. I’ve spoken to more than a thousand people in the last year and one of the key themes that came out was that we need to use technology to ease the bureaucratic burden and make our services more accessible. Teachers speak proudly about the work they’re doing in the classroom but then say that teaching is weighed down with paperwork.

“Thirdly, and this is the really exciting bit about the plan, we need to make sure we’re keeping pace with changes in society. Employers need to know they’re going to get the people they need at the other end of the education system and young people need to get the opportunity to learn and take assessments that are really relevant to them.”

The need for change is something SQA has not shied away from. Part of the reason Somerville instigated reform of the sector is that a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found a “misalignment” between the aims of the curriculum and the focus on exams in the later years of school. In the wake of the report it was decided that, as well as SQA, quality, improvement and inspections agency Education Scotland will be replaced.

Trust in SQA had also been dented after exams were cancelled at the height of the pandemic, with an algorithm designed to avoid grade inflation generating results based on a collation of coursework instead. Around 75,000 marks had to be reissued, though, following widespread complaints that pupils had been unfairly assessed. Then first minister Nicola Sturgeon apologised for the controversy, saying that the Scottish Government “did not get it right”.

Everybody wants this to be a success and that’s not nothing – that’s quite a lot on the plus side of your balance sheet

Rogers, who took up the SQA chairship at the end of 2023, says the organisation has learned from its mistakes. Much of the groundwork for change has already been put in place and Qualifications Scotland will represent a fresh start. Now, with just a few months to go until the new organisation launches, the SQA board has begun the search for a new chief executive to lead the change.

“I came in with a remit to lead the organisation through its transition, with all that that entails,” she says. “We’re now on the hunt for a chief executive to help provide leadership on a day-to-day basis. We need to be significantly different as Qualifications Scotland and the chief executive will help make that happen.”

While that process is being carried out SQA will be led by interim chief executive John Booth, who stepped up from his director of communications role when former CEO Fiona Robertson stood down earlier this year. Rogers says that, with the transition to Qualifications Scotland at the forefront of everyone’s minds, the organisation took the opportunity to split the role upon Robertson’s departure, something she believes will stand it in good stead in terms of implementing its corporate plan.

“Previously, all SQA’s chief roles were vested in the chief executive but if you’re on the hunt for someone who can lead us as we embark on this next chapter it’s challenging if they are also serving as the chief examiner,” Rogers says. “Along with the board I took the decision that we’d separate out the chief examiner role and allocate that to the director of qualifications development, Donna Stewart. She’s been a teacher for over 25 years and has worked with us since 2023 as head of policy for national qualifications. She has all the right experience for the chief examining role.

“Having a chief examiner who comes from an education background is really important as it shows we’re bringing the teaching world into our world and vice-versa. It would be great if the chief executive comes from an education background too, but separating the roles allows us to choose from a wider field. I don’t expect the chief executive to come in and sort out lots of problems because we’ve already been doing that. Instead, this is a real opportunity for someone with a leadership background to come in and shape this and make it different.”

In an indication of how Qualifications Scotland will look to differentiate itself from SQA while adapting to the world around it, earlier this year SQA chose to move away from formal exams for three National 5 subjects: practical cake craft, practical metalworking and practical woodworking. Rogers says this approach makes sense for subjects that are focused on practical skills and won’t be rolled out across the board. However, she notes that a key focus for Qualifications Scotland will be identifying areas of the qualifications system that are not working as efficiently as they could be and ensuring change is implemented in a timely manner.

“We need to constantly look at how fit for purpose our qualifications are and how they sit within the context of a modern society,” Rogers says. “A few years ago I was vice-chair of a college and it was clear that things were changing quickly in terms of environmental standards in the building sector. It’s important to see the things that are emerging that call for a new qualification and to put that in place reasonably quickly.

“Having a chief examiner who knows how the curriculum is developed, as well as what would be attractive to students and what colleges, schools and training providers can actually do, is really important. Scottish qualifications are incredibly well regarded in Scotland, in the rest of the UK, and across the world. We don’t want to become wishy-washy on standards, but we do need to set them within the context of a world that’s changing rapidly. What we’re looking for is a chief executive who can help take us on that journey.”

How many times in your life do you get to create a new public organisation

Rogers stresses that Qualifications Scotland is looking for a chief executive who “gets the vision of not replicating SQA in a new organisation”. That, she adds, is what makes the job so attractive.

“How many times in your life do you get to create a new public organisation?,” she says. “We’re looking for someone who really sees the potential in that and is naturally inclined to collaborative work. 

“We’ve done a lot of work in respect of our values for Qualifications Scotland and the kind of organisation we want to be. Those values are all about being open, being connected to the education and skills system, being brave and caring. We need someone who can demonstrate those values, who has great communication skills, and who has the ability to inspire.

“I’m really excited about the potential we have to be different. What we’ve found in the organisation is that those working in the grass roots are really excited about that too. We’ve been talking about change for several years now and there’s a lot of enthusiasm for getting us into this new place. 

“What impresses me most about the staff here is that they’re incredibly knowledgeable and they come at it with such good intent. They want to do good stuff and are excited at the prospect of being able to do that. Everybody wants this to be a success and that’s not nothing – that’s quite a lot on the plus side of your balance sheet.”

Recruitment for the Qualifications Scotland chief executive role is being handled by specialist search organisation Aspen People. Find out more at https://www.aspenpeople.co.uk/microsite/sqa/ or phone 0141 212 7555.

This special feature is in association with Scottish Qualifications Authority.

www.sqa.org.uk