Corporate report

Equality Objectives 2023 to 2025

Published 27 March 2023

Applies to England

Introduction

Ofqual’s approach to regulating qualifications has fairness for students and apprentices at its core. This means thinking about how our regulation might affect all students taking regulated qualifications – including those who share particular protected characteristics and those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Ofqual’s corporate plan 2022 to 2025 sets out our strategic priorities and embeds fairness and equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of Ofqual’s strategy and work programme. This document sets out how our strategic priorities enable us to fulfil our public sector equality duty (PSED).

Ofqual’s equality duties

As a public body, Ofqual is required under the Equality Act 2010 to meet the PSED. This means Ofqual must give due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between those who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not.

Ofqual is required under The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017 (SI 2017/353) to publish one or more equality objectives at least every 4 years and to publish annually a report explaining how we meet the PSED.

Ofqual also has a duty under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (the ASCL Act) to have regard to the reasonable requirements of students and apprentices who take regulated qualifications and National Assessments, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Ofqual must consider its equality duties alongside its other statutory objectives, including to maintain qualification and assessment standards.

Ofqual’s equality objectives for 2019 to 2023 are set out in our annual equalities report and we will report against those objectives in summer 2023.

Ofqual’s rules

One of the main ways we achieve our PSED and regulate in the interests of students is through our regulatory framework. Ofqual sets rules (General Conditions of Recognition) that all regulated awarding organisations must follow, and statutory guidance for those Conditions that they must have regard to. Ofqual requires awarding organisations to make sure that their qualifications are fit for purpose and appropriately accessible, in order to minimise bias. Ofqual’s ‘guidance for designing and developing accessible assessments’, which follows the principles of universal test design, supports awarding organisations to meet those rules and to make sure that exams and assessments used in regulated qualifications are as accessible as possible.

Equality objectives for 2023 to 2025

Ofqual’s equality objectives for the next 2 years align with our corporate plan, demonstrating that equality, diversity and inclusion are embedded into Ofqual’s strategic approach.

Ofqual’s corporate plan includes 4 strategic priorities:

1. Quality and fairness for students and apprentices

2. Clarity, effectiveness and efficiency in the qualifications market

3. Shaping the future of assessment and qualifications

4. Developing Ofqual as an effective, expert regulator and inclusive employer

Ofqual has chosen to base its equality objectives on priorities 1 and 4. Equalities and fairness in assessment runs through much of Ofqual’s work so these objectives do not attempt to capture all that we do in this area, rather they set out priority areas of work.

Equality objective 1: Quality and fairness for students and apprentices

Ofqual will focus regulatory activity, research and engagement on making sure that qualifications are good quality, as fair as they can be and meet the needs of users of qualifications. For assessments to be as fair as possible, students and apprentices should not be advantaged or disadvantaged by assessment design that favours certain groups of students, including those who share particular protected characteristics.

Ofqual is working to deliver the following outcomes:

• students and apprentices taking qualifications can be confident they are assessed fairly
• qualifications are delivered securely to support a level playing field for all who take them
• new approaches to assessment improve quality and fairness for students and apprentices

Ofqual plans to:

• evaluate the use of extra time in assessments provided to disabled students as a reasonable adjustment
• undertake research into methodologies for identifying potential bias in written assessments
• consider approaches to the regulation of innovative practices and technology to make sure these promote valid, efficient and accessible assessment, and are implemented safely in the interests of students

• design and develop assessment arrangements for a new GCSE British Sign Language (BSL) qualification and consider for accreditation any specifications received

• evaluate how awarding organisations have responded to the introduction of Ofqual’s statutory guidance on designing and developing accessible assessments
• carry out user research and an accessibility audit, in line with Government Digital Service standards, as part of a programme of work to redevelop the Register of Regulated Qualifications

Equality objective 2: Develop Ofqual as an effective, expert regulator and inclusive employer

Ofqual’s equality objectives are not just about the way we regulate – our role as an employer is just as important. Our strategic priority to develop Ofqual as an inclusive employer shows our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. This is about making sure Ofqual has the skills and diversity in our workforce to help us regulate effectively for all students and apprentices whatever their background, community or protected characteristics.

Ofqual is working to deliver the following outcomes:

• a diverse workforce, including apprentices, with the right people and expertise to deliver our strategic priorities

Ofqual plans to deliver our commitments to equality, diversity and inclusion, set out in our People Strategy. Our objectives are to:

• be data driven, evidence led and take action to increase the diversity of our senior leaders
• support the 2022 to 2025 Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy in its aim of promoting fairness and performance in the Civil Service
• work to make Ofqual an even more inclusive organisation where every colleague feels valued and respected

Impact

Ofqual’s annual report and accounts describe the organisation’s progress in delivering our corporate plan commitments. Ofqual plans to include in its annual report, details of how we have delivered against these equality objectives and the PSED.