{"id":237158,"date":"2025-10-30T10:53:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T10:53:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/?p=237158"},"modified":"2025-10-30T10:55:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T10:55:17","slug":"ofqual-to-publicly-rebuke-rule-breaking-exam-boards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/ofqual-to-publicly-rebuke-rule-breaking-exam-boards\/","title":{"rendered":"Ofqual to publicly \u2018rebuke\u2019 rule-breaking exam boards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Exam regulator Ofqual has awarded itself new powers to publicly \u201crebuke\u201d rule-breaking exam boards.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new regulatory \u201ctool\u201d, announced today<\/a>, is intended for cases where an awarding body\u2019s rule-breaking is not serious enough to warrant a financial penalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The watchdog said the \u201cchief regulator\u2019s rebuke\u201d sanction will fill an \u201cimportant gap\u201d in its enforcement options and \u201csupports agile regulation\u201d. It hopes the new penalty will mean simple cases of misconduct or malpractice can be resolved quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ofqual published its updated compliance policy<\/a> for exam boards this morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chief regulator Ian Bauckham said: \u201cThis updated policy reflects our agile approach to regulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to ensure awarding organisations resolve issues early wherever possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHowever, when awarding organisations do not meet our high standards, we will use our enforcement powers in the interests of students and all who rely on qualifications.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It comes as new requirements<\/a> are also due to come into force in December, requiring awarding bodies to act with \u201chonesty and integrity\u201d and ensure they \u201cpromote public confidence in qualifications\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to its 2024-25 annual report, Ofqual issued six regulatory interventions to awarding organisations, resulting in fines of \u00a3805,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The regulator also placed special conditions on a further 14 awarding organisations to assist with its investigations or manage risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the same year, it regulated a total of 255 awarding bodies that are responsible for more than 10,000 active qualifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right of appeal<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Awarding bodies facing public criticism via a rebuke can appeal to the regulator\u2019s enforcement panel before publication. Rebukes will not be published until the appeal period has ended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ofqual first launched a public consultation on punishing non-compliant awarding bodies in 2019<\/a>, but later \u201cpaused\u201d the policy\u2019s introduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It re-launched a consultation on the new policy in February this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The regulator says it has also introduced \u201cmore flexibility in how it issues notices of intention, that it hopes will \u201callow for the process to move swiftly to resolution\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rob Nitsch, chief executive of the Federation of Awarding Bodies, said: \u201cThe introduction of a more nuanced approach to regulatory intervention is in the interests of all and it is to be welcomed that Ofqual has taken the time to consult on these adjustments twice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it is unclear whether the regulator\u2019s rebuke power will shorten the sometimes lengthy delay between Ofqual concluding its investigations into awarding bodies and releasing details to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this year, the regulator published the action taken against the Scottish Qualifications Authority stemming from an investigation that ended in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also announced it had fined the Yorkshire awarding body Proqual \u00a315,000 for breaches that dated back from 2018 to 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An Ofqual spokesperson said: \u201cInvestigating regulatory breaches thoroughly takes time. However, the updated policy does introduce practical improvements. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve streamlined the process for settling straightforward cases more quickly where organisations agree they\u2019ve breached our conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis means simpler cases can be resolved faster, whilst complex investigations receive the rigorous attention they require.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The regulator says the new punishment will help it take a more ‘agile’ approach<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":315687,"featured_media":220944,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[224,147],"post-theme":[2345],"class_list":["post-237158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-exams","tag-ofqual","post-theme-assessment"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t