NEW QUALIFICATIONS AND CURRICULUM AUTHORITY BOARD MEMBERS

8 Jul 2003 10:45 AM

Education and Skills Secretary Charles Clarke today announced the appointment of eight new Board members to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. They are Mike Beasley (ex Managing Director, Jaguar), Ian Ferguson (Chairman, Data Connection), Helen Gilchrist (Principal, Bury College), Richard Greenhalgh (Chairman, Unilever UK), Sue Kirkham (Head teacher, Walton High School, Staffordshire), Jim Rose (education consultant), Mike Tomlinson (secondary education specialist) and Sir David Watson (Vice-Chancellor, University of Brighton). These appointments will take effect on 1 October 2003.

Mr Clarke also announced the re-appointment to the Board of Terry Morgan (Chief Executive, Tube Lines) and the appointment of Richard Greenhalgh as Deputy Chairman in succession to Ian McAllister, also from 1 October.

Mr Clarke said:
"QCA has an important and challenging agenda. It needs a strong Board to provide the strategic direction necessary for successful delivery. I am pleased to make these appointments and I am confident the new members will make a major contribution."

QCA Chairman, Sir Anthony Greener, said:
"I would like to thank those members of the Board who are retiring for their important contribution to the work of QCA.

"Going forward, the QCA is seeking to play a significantly more proactive role in developing the curriculum and qualifications that will directly assist in raising the level of skills in industry. At the same time it will play a leading role in all aspects of the school curriculum and assessment. The new members of the Board bring a wide range of experience in education, training and industry that will make a major contribution to this work."

All appointments will run to 30 September 2006.

NOTES TO EDITORS

This Press Notice applies to England.

1. QCA was set up under the Education Act 1997 as a non-departmental public body appointed by, and accountable to, the Secretary of State. It has responsibilities in the areas of the school curriculum (including the foundation stage), and all aspects of assessment, including external vocational and academic qualifications. It is required to conduct its business with a view to promoting quality and coherence in education and training.

2. The current Board comprises: Chairman, Sir Anthony Greener, Chairman UFI Ltd and Deputy Chairman, British Telecom; Deputy Chairman, Mr Ian McAllister, Chairman Network Rail; Chief Executive, Dr Ken Boston; Anne Duke, Head, Southwater County Infant School; Jenny Fitton, Principal, Taunton's College, Southampton; Ed Gould, Master, Marlborough College; Terry Morgan, Chief Executive Tube Lines; Dennis Richards, Head St Aidan's Church of England High School; Ray Shostak, Director of Children, Schools and Families, Hertfordshire County Council; Nick Stuart, vice-president, NIACE; Ted Wragg, Professor of Education, University of Exeter School of Education.

3. Members retiring on 30 September 2003 are: Anne Duke, Ian McAllister, Dennis Richards, Ray Shostak and Ted Wragg.

Profiles of new members

Mike Beasley
Mike Beasley was Managing Director of Jaguar until June 2003. He joined Jaguar from Ford of Britain in 1974. He was appointed Director Manufacturing (1978), Board Director (1985), Executive Director Manufacturing and Engineering (1999) and Managing Director (2001). He is Vice Chairman of the West Midlands CBI, a member of the National Employment Panel, Chairman of the Birmingham Employer Task Force and Chairman of Skills4Auto, the Midlands hub of the newly launched Vehicle Academy .

Ian Ferguson
Ian Ferguson is Chairman of Data Connection, a communications technology company he founded 20 years ago, after a career with Unilever and IBM. As a member of the Young People's Learning Committee of the Learning and Skills Council, he sat on the Modern Apprenticeship Advisory Committee, and is Deputy Chairman of the Modern Apprenticeship Task Force. He also sits on the Education and Training Affairs Committee of the CBI, is on the Board of UK Skills, which runs the National Training Awards and is a member of the London Competitive Advantage Programme Board linking Higher Education with business.

Helen Gilchrist CBE
Helen Gilchrist was appointed Principal of Bury College in 1995. She held a number of teaching posts before becoming Head of Modern Languages and then Curriculum Development at Skelmersdale College (1977-80). Subsequently, she was Vice Principal, Skelmersdale College (1980-84), Assistant Principal, North Manchester College (1985-86), Vice Principal, Accrington and Rossendale College (1985-89) and Principal, Nelson and Colne College (1989-95). From 2000- Jan 2003 she was Vice Chair of the Association of Colleges. She is a member of the DfES Working Group on 14-19 Reform. She was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list this year for services to further education.

Richard Greenhalgh
Richard Greenhalgh has been Chairman of Unilever UK since 1998. He joined Unilever in 1967 and latterly served as HR Director Foods (1990-92) and Deputy Personnel Director (1992-98). He is Chair of the National College for School Leadership and the British Quality Foundation, a Member of the CBI President's Committee, the International Chamber of Commerce's International Board and the Council for Industry and Higher Education and Regional Board Member-Europe for the London Business School.

Sue Kirkham
Sue Kirkham was appointed Headteacher of Walton High School, Staffordshire in 2001. After holding a number of teaching posts she was Deputy Headteacher, Droitwich High School (1988-94) and Headteacher, The Woodrush High School, Worcestershire (1994-2000). She is Honorary Secretary of the Secondary Heads Association (having been Chair of the SHA's Education Committee from 1999-2002) and a member of the DfES 14-19 Assessment sub- group. She is a member of the Joint Associations Curriculum Group.

Jim Rose CBE
Jim Rose has been an education consultant since 1999, having undertaken a number of assignments for government and educational organisations both at home and overseas. After holding a variety of teaching posts in both primary and secondary schools, including two headships, he was appointed HMI in 1975 as a primary education specialist. He became Staff Inspector for Pupils with Specialist Educational Needs in 1979, Chief Inspector with national responsibilities including primary education (1983), and Director of Inspection, OFSTED (1994).

Mike Tomlinson CBE
Mike Tomlinson is a secondary education specialist. After holding a number of teaching posts he was appointed an HMI in 1978. He joined OFSTED in 1992 and was Director of Inspection (1995-2000) and HM Chief Inspector (2000-2002). He led the Inquiry into A-level standards in 2002 and is currently Chair of the Learning Trust, Hackney and of the DfES Working Group on 14-19 Reform.

Sir David Watson
David Watson has been Director and then Vice-Chancellor of the University of Brighton since 1990. After holding senior
lecturer/principal lecturer posts at Crewe and Alsager College of Higher Education (1975-81), he held positions at Oxford Polytechnic (1981-90) including that of Deputy Director. He is a trustee of the Higher Education Policy Institute, member and trustee of the Council for Industry and Higher Education and a member of Universities UK and the Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. He is also a Council member of the Royal College of Music.

4. Appointees are asked to declare details of political activity as part of their application. None of the appointees have declared any political activity.

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