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The Commons Education Select Committee has given its backing for the government’s plans to appoint Sir Ian Bauckham as Ofqual’s chief.

Sir Ian, who was previously Ofqual chair, became interim chief regulator in January after Dr Jo Saxton announced she was stepping down.

He was selected as the government’s preferred candidate for the permanent role by the previous education secretary Gillian Keegan, and was reconfirmed in this position by Bridget Phillipson after the election.

In the committee’s pre-appointment hearing report,��it says it recognises Sir Ian’s commitment to “delivering the core tasks of Ofqual, namely maintaining standards and confidence in qualifications”.

In the report, Ms Phillipson describes Sir Ian as “highly experienced with a deep understanding of the school system, qualifications, and the wide range of issues facing Ofqual, both now and in the future”.

The report also says that Sir Ian has told the committee that he will stand aside from his role as chair of Oak National Academy “when practical to do so” if he is appointed.

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AI will place more demand on Ofqual, says Sir Ian

He also says one of his priorities for the role will be to “research, prepare for and, in due course, implement future change to the qualifications system,” which would include factoring in the impact of artificial intelligence.

“Developments in AI and digitisation more generally, as well as possible reforms, will place novel demands on Ofqual,” Sir Ian adds.

The report shows that 12 applications were made for the post and Sir Ian was one of two candidates interviewed for the position.

The interim chief regulator, who was previously CEO of Tenax Schools Trust in Kent, has also chaired the board of Oak National Academy since 2020 and is an observer on the government’s curriculum and assessment review.

Sir Ian had previously been one of three high-profile academy trust chief executives in the running to become Ofsted chief inspector, before Sir Martyn Oliver was announced as Amanda Spielman’s successor in July.

He appeared before MPs for a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing for the role of Ofqual’s chief regulator earlier this week.

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