Ofqual has a responsibility to provide advice to Ministers on qualifications issues.  We have discussed the proposals with Ministers and had detailed discussions with officials at the Department for Education (DfE) about the regulatory implications of the proposals for reform of Key Stage 4 qualifications on which DfE are currently consulting.  Ministers will be looking to Ofqual to set regulatory requirements for English Baccalaureate Certificates, and Ofqual will need to be satisfied about the regulatory implications of the proposals before it could develop and consult on those requirements.

The attached letter, to which the Secretary of State referred in his evidence to the Education Select Committee on 5 December, was sent in the context of those discussions.  We will be responding formally next week to the DfE consultation, and will be publishing our response.

Download the letter.