Latest news with #QualificationsScotland
Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
New exams chief quit his council role in the wake of child death criticism
The new boss of Scotland's exams quango resigned from his previous role following child safety concerns at the council he ran. Nick Page has been announced as the chief executive of the Scottish Qualifications Authority, and will automatically switch to the same role at the new Qualifications Scotland body when it is set up later this year. But concerns have been raised about the way he left his job as chief executive of Solihull Council after a 2023 review found that children faced 'significant harm' due to delayed responses from its 'inadequate' children's services. Mr Page resigned following the Ofsted report, saying new leadership would help bring about the necessary changes. The SQA has refused to confirm his exact salary in the new role, saying only that it was 'within the range set by Scottish Government for CEOs of that grade' and that the job had been advertised with a salary of between £126,000 and £143,000. His appointment comes after new legislation was passed this week abolishing the SQA, despite concerns the new body will just be a 'rebrand'. Miles Briggs, education spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives, said: 'This appointment by the discredited and scandal-hit SQA is bound to raise eyebrows among those crying out for positive change in Scottish education. 'Many will be concerned about how he left a previously senior leadership role and if that will hang over him as he gets to work in Scotland. 'SNP ministers missed the boat this week with their education bill which was full of cosmetic rebranding, including in relation to the beleaguered SQA. 'I wish Mr Page all the best in his new role, but he will need to show that he is willing to make the tough decisions necessary to undo 18 years of SNP damage to Scotland's education system.' During his role at Solihull Council, the authority was heavily criticised after six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes was murdered by his step-mother in June 2020. Emma Tustin poisoned, starved and beat Arthur during the Covid lockdown, and was jailed along with Arthur's father Thomas Hughes, who was found guilty of manslaughter. A spokesman for the SQA said: 'Nick Page chose to step down from his last role after a critical inspection. 'It was a principled decision to allow fresh leadership to take improvements forward. 'The SQA board carried out full due diligence and was unanimous in its selection. Nick was also the unanimous choice of the SQA staff panel which interviewed all candidates.' The new appointment comes after Fiona Robertson announced she was quitting as chief executive in February. Mr Page will begin work on July 7 and will then lead Qualifications Scotland when it is established in December. He has worked in teaching and children's services, as well as local authority leadership. Mr Page said: 'I am honoured to have the opportunity to serve as chief executive of SQA and to lead Scotland's new national awarding body when Qualifications Scotland opens its doors in December. 'SQA is already transforming at pace to build strong foundations for Qualifications Scotland, harnessing the deep knowledge, skills and commitment of our people. 'We will accelerate that work to deliver a future that improves outcomes and supports learning and teaching. 'As a former teacher from a family of teachers, I am keenly aware of the challenges faced in classrooms, colleges and across the education community, especially since the pandemic.' SQA chairman Shirley Rogers, who led the recruitment process for the new chief executive, said: 'We set the bar high to find a dynamic leader with the depth of experience, values and commitment to public service and partnership that our organisation - and Scotland - needs. 'I am absolutely delighted that Nick has chosen to join us. His career spans many achievements and a proven ability to lead through both change and challenge. 'I am confident that, drawing on these experiences and a commitment to learning from them, Nick will drive the positive transformation that ensures Qualifications Scotland delivers for every learner, every educator, and every community.'
BBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- BBC News
New SQA chief named months before exams body scrapped
The new head of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has been named as Nick Page, just months before the exams body is Scottish government passed legislation on Wednesday to abolish the SQA within months and replace it with a new body called Qualifications Page was chief executive of Solihull Council when the authority was criticised after six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes was murdered by his step-mother in June 2020.A review in January 2023 found children faced "significant harm" due to delayed responses from the council's children's services, which it rated as "inadequate". Emma Tustin poisoned, starved and beat Arthur during the Covid lockdown. She was jailed along with Arthur's father Thomas Hughes, who was found guilty of Page resigned as chief executive of the council in the wake of the Ofsted report. He said that new leadership would bring about necessary improvements.A spokesperson for the SQA said: "Nick Page chose to step down from his last role after a critical inspection."It was a principled decision to allow fresh leadership to take improvements forward."The SQA board carried out full due diligence and was unanimous in its selection. Nick was also the unanimous choice of the SQA staff panel which interviewed all candidates." 'Transforming at pace' Mr Page's appointment comes after Fiona Robertson announced she was quitting as SQA chief executive in will begin work at the SQA on 7 July and will then lead Qualifications Scotland when it is established in former teacher said he was "honoured" to take over the role from John Booth, who held the post on an interim added: "SQA is already transforming at pace to build strong foundations for Qualifications Scotland, harnessing the deep knowledge, skills and commitment of our people."We will accelerate that work to deliver a future that improves outcomes and supports learning and teaching."We will also work across the education and skills community to ensure that assessment and awarding align with wider pathways for success."The SQA highlighted Mr Page's "track record of successful delivery, service transformation and improved outcomes across a 30-year career spanning teaching, children's services and local authority leadership".Chairwoman Shirley Rogers, who led the recruitment process for the new chief executive, said she was "absolutely delighted" with Mr Page's added: "His career spans many achievements and a proven ability to lead through both change and challenge."I am confident that, drawing on these experiences and a commitment to learning from them, Nick will drive the positive transformation that ensures Qualifications Scotland delivers for every learner, every educator, and every community."
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
SQA appoints former teacher to chief executive role
Mr Page began his career as a teacher before taking on multiple council roles as Director of Children's Services at Salford City Council and Chief Executive of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. The SQA board selected Mr Page from a shortlist of candidates, and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Jenny Gilruth approved the appointment. In February, the former SQA Chief Executive Fiona Robertson stepped down following a series of high-profile controversies dating back to 2020. With her resignation, the SQA divided the leadership responsibilities between the Chief Executive and the newly created post of Chief Examining Officer, held by Donna Stewart. With Mr Page's appointment, there are now teachers in both of the top roles at the SQA. Following its passage in Holyrood on Wednesday, the Education (Scotland) Bill will establish a new qualifications body called Qualifications Scotland, pending royal assent. Staff and officers are expected to carry over to Qualifications Scotland when it assumes responsibilities in December. Mr Page said that he was "honoured" to oversee the transition. 'The passage of the Education (Scotland) Bill challenges us all to make reform a success – and we will deliver. 'SQA is already transforming at pace to build strong foundations for Qualifications Scotland, harnessing the deep knowledge, skills and commitment of our people. We will accelerate that work to deliver a future that improves outcomes and supports learning and teaching. 'As a former teacher from a family of teachers, I am keenly aware of the challenges faced in classrooms, colleges and across the education community, especially since the pandemic." Read more He added that the SQA's new Schools Unit, led by headteacher Sarah Brown as Senior Adviser, will be crucial for achieving the new organisation's goal of amplifying the voices of teachers and students. "We will also work across the education and skills community to ensure that assessment and awarding align with wider pathways for success. 'By building new partnerships with industry and employers, we will strengthen the relevance and range of our skills-based and vocational qualifications to unlock opportunities for learners. That will help support Scotland with the skills our country needs to succeed in a rapidly changing world. 'I look forward to bringing my experience – and the lessons I have learned – to my new role. I want to begin by thanking my new colleagues, who have demonstrated great professionalism and successfully delivered over these past years of challenge and uncertainty." Nick Page will take over as chief executive of the SQA in July and Qualifications Scotland when the new organisation takes over in December. (Image: SQA) SQA Board Chair Shirley Rogers said that Mr Page was chosen because of his mixture of experience in the classroom and public service. 'I am absolutely delighted that Nick has chosen to join us. His career spans many achievements and a proven ability to lead through both change and challenge. 'I am confident that, drawing on these experiences and a commitment to learning from them, Nick will drive the positive transformation that ensures Qualifications Scotland delivers for every learner, every educator, and every community." The transition to Qualifications Scotland will be one of the final steps in a process that began in 2021 when former Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville announced that the SQA would be scrapped. Over the next four years, the Scottish Government spent over £1 million commissioning a series of independent reviews into qualifications and assessments. However, the Education (Scotland) Bill and its vision of Qualifications Scotland has received a lukewarm response from opposition parties, teachers and the chief researchers who had recommended the SQA's replacement in the first place. The EIS teaching union called the bill an "opportunity missed" for reform, while Professor Ken Muir, who carried out the original review for replacing the SQA, said it was "disappointing" that the bill preserves many of the major shortcomings he identified in the SQA's structure.
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Holyrood passes legislation to abolish SQA exams body
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is set to be scrapped and replaced by a new body called Qualifications Scotland. The Education (Scotland) Bill was passed by 69 votes to 47 late on Wednesday evening, following two days of debate. As well as abolishing the SQA, the bill also sets out plans for a new chief inspector of education, who will be tasked with inspecting nurseries, schools and colleges across Scotland. READ NEXT: Scotland sees 'rare' weather phenomenon as weather set to shift READ NEXT: Banned driver who left friend in wheelchair for life after crash jailed The bill states that Qualification Scotland will have to give equal weighting to both British Sign Language (BSL) and the Gaelic language. It also outlines that the new body must consider the needs of pupils who use BSL or learn in BSL. The new body is expected to be up and running in the autumn, after this year's exam results are released. It comes almost five years after the 2020 exams scandal, where marks for more than 124,000 pupils were downgraded after exams had to be scrapped as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking as the legislation was passed, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said the bill would "fundamentally create a new and a different type of organisation which works with the teaching profession differently". Jenny Gilruth And speaking after the vote, Gilruth said: 'The successful passage of this legislation shows this Government is serious about implementing the changes needed to drive improvement across Scotland's education and skills system. "The creation of a new national qualifications body is about building the right conditions for reform to flourish; the new body will ensure that knowledge and experience of pupils and teachers are at the heart of our national qualifications offering." Gilruth added that the new chief inspector would have "greater independence and the power to set the frequency and focus of inspections". 'Throughout this process, I have been determined to work with other parties on this vital legislation. I am also grateful to teaching unions and other organisations across civic Scotland who contributed to its development," she continued. 'Taken together our major programme of education and skills reform will bring about the changes needed to meet the needs of future generations of young people." The bill was backed by the Scottish Greens, who said that the new body "will put the voices of teachers and students at its heart". The party's education spokesperson, Ross Greer, who has previously campaigned for an overhaul of the exams body, said he was pleased MSPs had voted for "this fresh start in Scottish education". Ross Greer He said: "Senior leadership at the SQA was given the opportunity to change over many years, but refused to do so. "Replacing the organisation with one legally required to listen to teachers and students will end this constant cycle of scandals. "Now we can begin rebuilding the trust which was so completely destroyed over the last decade and put the focus back on supporting students." But he added that such reform needed to be followed up with "urgent work" to reduce teachers' workload and an overhaul of the "Victorian-era" end of term exams system towards a model of ongoing assessment. Greer also hit out at Scottish Labour, who voted down the bill on the basis it did not go far enough. "Labour's vote to protect the scandal-plagued and unaccountable SQA is bizarre," he said. 'How can anyone look at the mistakes of recent years and think it can continue? We need real change for students and teachers, which this bill will deliver." Both Labour and the Tories voted down the bill on Wednesday. Pam Duncan-Glancy, Scottish Labour's education spokesperson, said: 'We needed a qualifications system fit for the future, one that respects the efforts of learners, supports the judgment of teachers, and earns the trust of employers and universities. 'We needed a curriculum that is broad and inclusive, we needed an inspectorate that can challenge where necessary but also celebrate excellence. But on reform this is a job unfinished.' Meanwhile, Scottish Tory education spokesperson Miles Briggs said the new body was "little more than a rebrand of the SQA". 'The SQA needed an overhaul, not a cosmetic makeover, and the changes proposed fall way short of what is required to ensure the organisation can operate effectively and is properly accountable," he added.
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Teaching union, MSPs and expert condemn new Education Bill
The bill changes some of the internal structures of Scotland's only exam board – the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) – as part of a process to transform it into a body known as Qualifications Scotland. The new organisation will retain the same powers as its predecessor. including the dual function of awarding and certifying qualifications that has previously led to accusations that the SQA is permitted to 'mark its own homework'. The government's own review of the SQA explicitly called for the functions of the exam board to be split into two entirely distinct organisations, but this recommendation has been rejected. Instead, the government has committed to carry out another review, but is not required to accept its findings or implement recommended changes. The bill also introduces changes to way in which school inspection is organised, removing this responsibility from the national body known as Education Scotland. Speaking exclusively to The Herald, Professor Ken Muir of the University of the West of Scotland, who was commissioned to carry out the original review, described the Bill as 'disappointing.' He criticised the failure to split the functions of the SQA and locate them in entirely distinct bodies, and said that significant 'monitoring and scrutiny' would be required to determine whether progress was being made. However, he noted that the Bill as passed 'doesn't bring about the cultural and mindset shift that is required' in order to address long-standing problems with the exam board. Professor Muir added that 'questions remain as to the independence of the Chief Inspector' following the passage of the Bill, and that this will also require further scrutiny. Andrea Bradley, General Secretary of the EIS teaching union, said that the new bill is 'an opportunity missed' after 'a considerable investment both of time and public resource.' 'Teachers have been clear that their professional voice must be central to decision making in the new national agencies, particularly Qualifications Scotland. We are less than persuaded that the Bill will deliver this, and the meaningful culture change, that is so urgently required. 'Teachers, lecturers, learners and their families need to be convinced through the actions of the new agency that the Bill amounts to more than a rebranding exercise. The retention of the accreditation function within Qualifications Scotland has done nothing to change this perception and the prospect of yet another review two years down the line simply prolongs the process, postponing implementation of essential reforms and adding to the frustrations of teachers, lecturers and other stakeholders who have made their views clear in this respect.' 'Whilst the EIS noted the stated intent that the Chief Inspector's Office should be independent of government, in reality the provisions of the Bill do not provide this assurance or indeed, any real clarity about governance and the role of teachers in this new inspectorate. With Scottish Ministers having power over key reporting functions, staffing and funding arrangements, we are not confident that the legislative changes enable the requisite meaningful change for inspection outlined in the Muir Review. ' Scottish Conservative education spokesperson Miles Briggs MSP said that the failure to split the functions of the SQA, as recommended by the Muir Review, 'completely undermines the purpose and credibility of the bill', and that the Scottish Government has 'fumbled an opportunity to deliver real improvements to Scotland's schools.' 'The Scottish Conservatives called for an independent inspector who would be directly responsible to Parliament and we stressed the crucial importance of dividing the SQA's accreditation and regulating roles. 'But apart from a minor change to the CEO's job description, the qualifications authority will continue to mark its own homework – exactly what the Muir report said would have to change. 'Jenny Gilruth has delivered a set of minor tweaks that are merely cosmetic, and left many of the people who have created this mess in post. Unfortunately, this trivial rebrand will do nothing to repair the damage the SNP's education policies have created in Scottish schools.' Scottish Labour Education spokesperson Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP also condemned the new bill, which she said offers 'a review not reform': 'Years of SQA scandals and failures has left teachers and parents with no trust in our education system, but the SNP has wasted the chance to truly scrap the body. 'Experts and teachers have been clear that the real reform is needed and the new qualifications body shouldn't be responsible for accreditation, but the SNP refused to listen. 'The truth is this Bill amounts to little more than a rebrand of the SQA and offers a review not reform. Scottish Labour has been clear that we could not vote to continue a broken status quo. 'Young people are Scotland's greatest asset and they deserve an education system that helps them thrive.' READ MORE Commenting for the Scottish Greens, who backed the SNP in order to ensure the passage of the Bill, Ross Greer MSP defended the structural changes to management roles at the exam board, one of which, he argued, means that the functions of the SQA have 'effectively' been split: 'I'm pleased that MSPs agreed to my amendments to split the Chief Executive's role into those of a Chief Examiner, Chief Accreditation Officer and Chief Executive. The Chief Examiner must be an experienced educator and they will be supported by an external Expert Group on Qualification Standards, whilst the Chief Accreditation Officer will be supported by an external Accreditation Committee. 'In addition, Parliament agreed to another amendment I tabled which requires the Chief Examiner and Chief Accreditation Officer to discharge their duties independently of each other, building another important safeguard into the system and effectively splitting those functions. 'Combined with Willie Rennie's amendments to review the scope of the accreditation function, the final draft of the bill as approved by Parliament includes a strong package of measures to address the problems seen at the SQA. That review will be critical, because school-based qualifications like Nat 5s and Highers are not currently accredited. 'Despite some recent suggestions, incidents like last year's Higher History controversy wouldn't have been prevented by the accreditation function sitting somewhere else, because Highers are not accredited. I personally think that should change, thus the importance of the review.' Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP argued that the bill gives a new qualifications body the opportunity to change: 'The accreditation function at the SQA does not cover national qualifications like Highers and National 5s so moving it to another body would not have improved the oversight and regulation for those qualifications. I was determined to respond to the Higher History problems with a change to the existing quality assurance arrangements that proved to be wholly inadequate. 'That's why I put forward amendments that were agreed by parliament to establish reviews of the quality assurance, the scope of the existing accreditation and also the eventual location of any new accreditation function. There will also be immediate improvements to the quality assurance arrangements. This will all mean an orderly process towards a new accreditation and regulation function.' The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
