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What we do

Our job will be to develop the curriculum, improve and deliver assessments, and review and reform qualifications. We want to make sure that everyone can get the knowledge, skills and qualifications they need for life in the 21st century.

The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) will be at the heart of England's education system. Our job will be to develop the curriculum, improve and deliver assessments, and review and reform qualifications.

We want to make sure that everyone can get the knowledge, skills and qualifications they need for life in the 21st century. We believe in the power of education to transform people's lives and to make society better and fairer for everyone.

We'll work side by side with people in education and business, using our experience and know-how to find practical ways to deliver government reforms.

From QCA to QCDA

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) was set up under the Education Act 1997 to develop and regulate the national curriculum, assessments in schools and qualifications. In 2007 the government decided to set up an independent exams regulator, Ofqual, which has now taken on most of QCA's regulatory functions.

The government is introducing legislation in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill that is expected to make Ofqual a completely separate organisation and will transform QCA into QCDA. The bill will also specify when these changes will take place. For now, QCA remains the legal entity. QCDA will deliver, and build on, QCA's non-regulatory work.

How we'll work

We'll work with schools and colleges on:

  • The curriculum - we'll listen to what teachers tell us, and together we'll build a curriculum that will prepare young people for the future
  • Assessment - as well as delivering the national curriculum tests, we want to develop ways of assessing pupils' progress that support teaching and that are manageable in the classroom
  • Qualifications - together we'll review and develop qualifications, so that students have the knowledge and skills they need to take them into higher education and work.

We'll work with businesses on:

  • Qualifications that help people get the right skills - such as the Diploma, which combines classroom and workplace learning
  • The Qualifications and Credit Framework - a new system that lets people build up their qualifications in small steps so that all their learning is recognised, including training at work.

Working hand in hand:

We want to work with people as passionate about education as we are. We particularly want to hear from people directly involved in education, from students, teachers and lecturers to awarding bodies. We'll also run public consultations to help shape major changes. As we are a trusted adviser to the government, our consultations will give everyone the chance to influence the decision-makers.

Legal statement

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is currently operating certain of its non-regulatory functions under the name Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA). The legal entity remains QCA, established under the Education Act 1997. QCA is an exempted charity under the Charities Act 1993.

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