Qualifications Body Transition Board minutes - July 2024

Attendees and apologies

Members

• Shirley Rogers, SQA Board Chair – Transition Board Co-Chair (SR)
• Clare Hicks, Scottish Government (SG), Director for Education Reform – Transition Board Co-Chair (CH)
• George Brown, SQA Accreditation (GB)
• Liz Cunningham, SQA Unison Representative (LC)
• Laurence Findlay, ADES, Aberdeenshire Council (LF)
• Seán Hagney, SQA Board member (SH)
• Allan Lindsay, Young Scot (AL)
• Erin McCabe, Unite Rep (EM)
• Claire McPherson - Universities Scotland (CM)
• Isabel Nisbet, Independent Adviser (IN)
• Pauline Radcliffe, SCQF (PR)
• Fiona Robertson, SQA Chief Executive (FR)
• Seamus Searson, Scottish Secondary Teachers Association (SS)
• Shona Struthers, Colleges Scotland (SS)

In attendance

• Naureen Ahmad, SG, Deputy Director, Lifelong Learning and Skills (NA)
• Lisa Bird, SG, Reform Programme Director (LB)
• John Booth, SQA, Director of Communications (JB)
• Steve Borley, SQA Head of Chief Executive’s Office (SB)
• Jane Duffy, SG, Head of Education Alignment and Apprenticeships (JD)
• Chris Dunne, SG, Programme Manager (CD)
• Sarah Hart, SG, Head of Delivery (SaH)
• Dawnne Mahmoud, SQA, Director of People (DM)
• Liz McGrath, SQA, Programme Director, Education Reform (LM)
• Stuart McLaren, SQA, Head of Marketing (StM)
• Jaxon Parish, SG, Senior Policy Officer (JP)
• Manvinder Reid, SG, Policy Officer (MR)
• Kieran Watson, SG, Unit Head, New Qualifications Body and SQA Sponsorship (KW)

Secretariat

• Karen Ferguson, SQA (KF)
• Keegan Friel, SQA (KeF)
• Pauline Hendry, SG (PH)
• John Keenan, SG (JK)
• Niamh McGhee, SG (NM)

Apologies

• Reid Aiton, Young Scot
• Euan Duncan, Scottish Secondary Teachers Association
• Andy Harvey, EIS
• Stuart McKenna, Scottish Training Federation
• Jon Reid, SLS/ADES, Falkirk Council
• Ken Thomson, SQA Board member
• Anna Kerr, SQA 

Items and actions

Opening remarks

Welcome and apologies

The Co-Chairs welcomed everyone to the meeting and noted apologies.

Declaration of any conflicts of interest

There were no declarations of conflicts of interest. This item will remain on the agenda to address any emerging conflicts.

Previous meeting – approval of minutes from 25 June 2024 and matters arising

The minutes of the meeting of 25 June 2024 were approved as an accurate record of the meeting.

Vision update

Members received a presentation from DM and StM on the work that has been ongoing to create the Mission, Vision and Values for Qualifications Scotland (QS). Building on the Programme and new body vision provided at the May Transition Board, and the work of the Delivery Board from late 2022, an approach, high level plan and articulation of deliverables has been drafted. The draft vision statement has been tested with nine focus groups, incorporating colleagues and external stakeholders, including trade unions. The feedback has been mixed, but an appetite for change is apparent. A main point of feedback has indicated that people want to understand ‘how’ the transition will be made, and what will be different in QS. The next steps in this work will include the development of culture and values for QS, using the draft vision statement and corporate plan ambitions as starting points.

It was noted that the Vision package (prospectus for change, vision, values/culture and branding) will be shared with the Transition Board at a later date, in order to ensure that the complete picture can be considered.

SR reassured members that the existence of the Transition Board will not negate the need for standard practices of negotiation and consultation at appropriate points.

Action - Colleges Scotland offered to be involved in providing views and perspectives from the college sector in relation to the Vision work.

Transition - what's required for day 1?

Implementation/Transition plan update

SaH and LM presented an update on the implementation plan. The publication of the Education (Scotland) Bill on 5 June has enabled us to build on that and set out deadlines for the completion of outputs. The outputs are not presented chronologically as they have been grouped as per feedback received at a previous Transition Board meeting. Key dependences are also now included in the table. As review points are reached, individual outputs will be brought to Transition Board meetings for discussion and assurance.

There remain some TBC items, including one in relation to financial modelling. A SG Finance Lead is being appointed, which will enable this work to be further progressed. The Finance thematic project group is meeting and a deadline will be agreed and added to the plan.

Action - SQA to have early engagement with the SG Finance Lead once they are in post.

The importance of implementing governance and non-executive arrangements as early as possible was raised by members, highlighting that these processes often take longer than thought. To this point it was noted that the Board appointments could, with parliamentary approval, move into QS.

In discussion, the interdependency of arrangements was noted, specifically financial modelling which will depend on the governance and accountability arrangements. It was confirmed that the Governance and Accountability thematic project is shortly coming to a point of review. Progress will be reviewed by the SG’s Project Steering and Assurance Group, followed by an update to the Transition Board.

Action - Paper on Governance and Accountability to be brought to a future Transition Board meeting.            

Education Reform will have implications for accreditation, and members highlighted that it will be important to ensure that accreditation is appropriately resourced. SQA Accreditation members provided assurance that they are in regular dialogue with trade union colleagues in respect of the Transition Board meeting cycle, and they are aware that the work is underway and in its early stages.

The meeting heard that the Cabinet Secretary has asked SR as Chair of the SQA to provide advice on how the organisational design and leadership structures of Qualifications Scotland can best deliver this Government’s reform commitments, ensuring the spirit of the legislation and vision work can be applied. SR reassured members that the work is being taken forward by a small team using established SQA methodology, and all appropriate arrangements for consultation will be undertaken.

Risk approach and discussion

CD and JP delivered a presentation highlighting the approach to risk management being taken forward by the Education Reform programme, and how this approach will be applied to the New Qualifications Body Implementation Project (NQBIP). The NQBIP team are in the process of developing specific project risks which will be linked to overall delivery, and specific activity/outputs within the implementation plan.

The risk approach at project level is separate to SQA’s Business As Usual (BAU) approach, and connections need to be considered. In discussion, it was confirmed that the SQA corporate risk register contains a risk around resource, and the risk of losing talent from the existing organisation by transitioning to a new organisation. The current position is that staff turnover remains low, although this may change as we approach transition.

Interconnected risks were discussed, and it was queried whether it would be possible to produce a path with multiple timelines, which would help the Board to see how risks are progressing in alignment with other parts of the programme. Inter-related areas of government should also be considered and incorporated, such as curriculum reform and qualifications reform.

Action - CD/NQBIP to consider how to represent a path with multiple timelines.

With some risk deadlines scheduled for September/October, a request was made for timely engagement with areas such as Colleges Scotland. Colleges have different operating environments to schools, and if engagement does not take place early enough, significant risks could develop.

Action - NQBIP to engage with Colleges Scotland on risk.

Finance was raised as a matter of concern for members. The published Financial Memorandum for the Education (Scotland) Bill provides an assessment of the costs associated with the implementation of the legislation. Members requested greater clarity about funding and resource for the transition work, and it was agreed that this would be brought forward for discussion at a Transition Board meeting in the near future.

Action - Funding/finance to be listed as a paper/agenda item for a future Transition Board meeting.

Transition - what will happen longer term?

Update on Post School Education and Skills Reform Programme

NA provided an update on the progress of the Post School Education and Skills Reform Programme (PSESR).  

The public consultation on legislation regarding proposals to simplify the funding body landscape went live on 25 June 2024, closing on 20 September. It is intended to introduce a Bill in this Parliament.

It is intended to implement a delivery plan in relation to Skills Planning Reform from 2025. Not all skills shortages are due to a lack of education and training, as labour shortages also have impact.

Careers Advice reform will influence and help individuals to decide career paths, and it was noted that there is no consistent or coherent approach to this across Scotland. The aim will be to maximise the impact of Scottish Government investment in areas such as Developing the Young Workforce, and Skills Development Scotland.

Clarification was provided around the scope of the Bill, which will be focussed on simplifying the funding landscape, reflecting the tight parliamentary timetable.

Action - Transition Board members are welcome to engage in a 1-2-1 conversation with NA on the topic of PSESR.

Approach to Accreditation and Regulation

GB presented on the accreditation of qualifications and regulation of awarding bodies and the role played by SQA Accreditation in this.

1. Overview of approach and Bill Provisions

JP outlined the approach of the Education Bill for accreditation functions and governance. Emphasis is on independence and impartiality, further strengthened with separate governance and accountability frameworks for QS.

2. Update on SLWG

NA outlined the work of the SLWG on the scope of accreditation and regulation.

Some members felt there was a need for more engagement with the SLWG and also for further clarity on the remit of the group and how it fits in with the Transition Board. NA and SD advised that a lot of engagement has been undertaken, including with SQA accreditation staff, who sit on the SLWG. It was highlighted that members are expected to act as a conduit to their respective areas, providing feedback and raising any concerns.

A meeting between the SG and SQA Accreditation staff is scheduled for 20 August.

Some members indicated that the funding for the accreditation function, which is separate to that of SQA Awarding, has not changed since 2012, and suggested that it needed to be increased, irrespective of any potential change in scope.

Any other business

The Co-Chairs thanked members for their contributions to the meeting.

Date of next meeting

The date of the next meeting is Tuesday 27 August 2024.