Inside the Tent

The awarding sector is undergoing rapid transformation, with new reforms, regulatory requirements, and evolving government policies reshaping the landscape.

At the 2025 Federation of Awarding Bodies conference, we surveyed representatives from awarding organisations to understand which regulatory and technical issues are most pressing for their organisations. In this article, our senior consultant Rachael Meech reflects on this year’s findings compared with those from last year to reveal both persistent challenges and emerging priorities, offering a snapshot of the sector’s concerns as it adapts to ongoing reform.

It’s hard to believe another year has flown by since the last Federation of Awarding Bodies conference. 2025 marks our third appearance as exhibitors, our journey began as AlphaPlus, and this year we were proud to attend as AQA Global Assessment Services. In a short space of time, we’ve witnessed a whirlwind of government initiatives and shifting policies, not to mention conversations with Awarding Organisations (AOs) about their pressing concerns and future priorities in this ever-evolving sector.

This year, the sector is grappling with even more change than usual. The publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, alongside the White Paper introducing the new ‘V level’ and changes to T levels, as well as ongoing Apprenticeship reforms, have set the stage for significant transformation. And we’re not finished yet, further changes are on the horizon, particularly at Level 2 and below. At the time of the conference, details were still thin on the ground, although representatives from both the DfE and Skills England reassured us that they were listening. Encouragingly, AOs were frequently described as being ‘inside the tent’. While this sentiment was generally welcomed, there remain widespread concerns over the potential costs, increased workloads, and the fate of previous reform efforts undertaken in good faith.

Regulatory compliance topped the list of concerns in 2024, coinciding with the introduction of AAQ and Technical Occupational qualifications, both requiring Ofqual and/or IfATE accreditation. For many AOs working in the VTQ sector, this level of scrutiny was an entirely new experience. Navigating regulatory requirements and producing new documentation, such as assessment strategies, proved a steep learning curve.

No surprise, then, that assessment strategies emerged as the second most pressing issue, closely followed by the challenge of managing relationships with Ofqual, the DfE, and IfATE (now Skills England). Clearly, the increased scrutiny of VTQ and occupational products has changed the dynamic between AOs and regulators.

This year, assessment strategies have climbed to the very top of the list, with a new contender, Assessment and Qualification Reform, hot on their heels. The sector is understandably anxious about the pace and scope of current reforms, prompting us to include this topic in our 2025 survey. The requirement for assessment strategies has now been extended to new Apprenticeship assessments, meaning even more AOs must get to grips with producing these documents for assessment approval. Regulatory compliance and managing relationships with Ofqual, DfE, and Skills England remain high on the agenda, reinforcing that external scrutiny is still a major preoccupation.

Our survey highlights how the VTQ sector has transitioned from largely self-monitoring and reporting via the Statement of Compliance to adapting to ever-increasing external oversight from regulators and government. And, from what we can see, this trend is unlikely to change any time soon.

You can review the complete survey results in the chart below:

At AQA Global Assessment Services, we understand the pressures facing awarding organisations as they navigate new reforms and regulatory demands. Our team is committed to supporting AOs with expert guidance, practical resources, and tailored solutions to help you meet these challenges confidently. If your organisation is seeking support or advice on any of the issues highlighted in our survey, please get in touch, we’re here to help you succeed in this changing environment.