Chairing with Impact: What Makes a Great Chair, and How to Find Them

Governance Imperative

The UK's awarding sector is in flux. Post-16 qualification reforms, initiated in 2024, saw a government review that paused defunding for level 3 qualifications set for removal in 2025. This shift, announced in July 2024 with outcomes in December, reflects broader efforts to align credentials with economic needs. Awarding organisations—bodies like exam boards that design and certify qualifications—must now adapt to revised funding approval processes for the 2025-2026 academic year. These include stricter operational end dates and alignment with employer demands, as outlined in updated Department for Education guidance.

Ofqual, the regulator for qualifications in England, has sharpened its focus on governance. Its strategy for 2025-2028 emphasises building market resilience through audits of organisations' capacity, capability, and board structures. Weak governance could trigger interventions, affecting over 200 awarding bodies. Learners, numbering in the millions annually, face disrupted pathways to employment; employers, reliant on verifiable skills, encounter talent gaps. Recent examples include delays in T Level rollouts, technical qualifications blending classroom and workplace learning, which have strained smaller bodies.

Stakes are tangible. Qualification submissions for 2026 funding must meet deadlines in early 2026, with non-compliance risking withdrawal of approval—potentially costing organisations millions in lost revenue. In 2025, regulatory fees and adaptation expenses rose by an average of 15 percent for mid-sized bodies, per industry estimates. Inaction invites fines up to £100,000 per breach, as seen in past Ofqual enforcements. Broader consequences include sector consolidation, with vulnerable organisations merging or exiting by 2027.

Less obvious are the trade-offs. Boards must balance innovation in AI-assisted assessments with regulatory caution, where overreach invites scrutiny but conservatism stifles relevance. Diversity remains elusive; a 2025 report noted only 25 percent female representation on sector boards, hindering fresh perspectives in a field dominated by long-standing networks. Conflicts arise in dual-role setups, where chairs juggle charitable missions with commercial imperatives, often overlooking ethical lapses that erode public confidence. Meanwhile, environmental mandates add pressure, requiring boards to integrate sustainability without inflating costs.