Presentations from the Ofqual15 conference

The Ofqual conference took place on 8 December 2015 at the Vox in Birmingham.

Breakout sessions

Audit and compliance with Rosemary Carter

In this session Rosemary described the procedures and application of our regulatory processes. The session provided an opportunity for delegates to meet Rosemary’s team and discuss how they could expect Ofqual to conduct itself with regard to audit and compliance with Ofqual’s regulatory conditions.

Our approach to risk with Bryan Horne

In this session Bryan explained Ofqual’s approach to risk. We described the indicators that we use to measure system-level risks and how that drives our audit process, before exploring how individual awarding organisations view, identify and manage risks in relation to their qualifications and regulatory obligations.

Innovation in qualifications with Prof Ken Young and Clare Rowntree

This interactive session gave delegates the opportunity to express their views on how the market is evolving to meet changing demands and discuss whether there are actions Ofqual can take to reduce regulatory barriers to awarding organisation innovation. Ken Young, Director at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, spoke about his experiences of qualification innovation.

Developments in enforcement with Matthew Humphrey

This session followed on from the theme started in “Audit and Compliance”. Matthew explained what can be expected when we believe an awarding organisation may have failed to comply with the conditions. He also described Ofqual’s current enforcement powers, how we use them and how our use may evolve in the future.

Regulatory framework with Julie Swan

This session was aimed at those who were either new to awarding organisations or who wanted a refresher on our conditions and guidance. Julie Outlined Ofqual’s regulatory framework and described what we expect from those we regulate. She discussed our regulatory strategy and how we have reorganised our structure to better support our goals and objectives.

Equality in Assessment with Julie Swan

This interactive session allowed delegates to discuss a series of scenarios to help illustrate how equality factors should be considered throughout the lifecycle of a qualification. Julie set out the need to properly take equalities into account in order to comply with the law as well as our conditions.