Qualifications Wales marks a decade of empowering learners and enabling change
Regulator Qualifications Wales has today (19/05/26) published a new impact report evidencing a decade of building and maintaining a trusted qualifications system for Wales that supports the needs of learners, educators and employers.
The organisation was established in 2015, following a recommendation by the then National Assembly for Wales’ Review of Qualifications for 14 to 19-year-olds, which called for an independent qualifications regulator operating outside of government.
In the 10 years since its formation, the organisation has been guided by a commitment to fairness for learners, alongside innovation and collaboration. During this time, it has delivered multiple large-scale and complex programmes both on the regulation and reform of qualifications, ensuring a broad range of high-quality qualifications that support learners to progress into further study or work.
Some of Qualifications Wales’ milestones over the decade:
- Established itself as Wales’ first independent regulator for non-degree qualifications, providing expert, impartial oversight at arm’s length from Welsh Government.
- Delivered made-for-Wales qualifications that better reflect the needs of learners in Wales, while maintaining standards and comparability.
- Oversaw the awarding of 8 million certificates across over 10,000 regulated qualifications.
- Managed a 132% increase in the range of approved qualifications.
- Supported Curriculum for Wales by leading the development of a broad suite of bilingual, inclusive 14-16 qualifications under a new National Qualifications umbrella, with phased rollout from 2025 to 2027.
- Conducted a regular programme of industry-specific reviews – including in information technology, construction and the built environment, and hair and beauty – which has transformed vocational qualifications across key employment sectors and supported the Welsh economy.
- Responded to the significant disruption to assessment caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 by developing alternative awarding arrangements, ensuring learners received grades enabling them to progress.
- Ensured fairness for learners in Wales by taking a gradual and considered approach to returning to pre-pandemic assessment arrangements.
- Doubled the proportion of approved or designated qualifications available either wholly or partially in Cymraeg, with over 1,200 now on offer.
- Created a new Vocational Certificate of Secondary Education qualification, or VCSE, which will offer young people practical, work-related qualifications in 15 subjects when it launches in 2027.
- Retained over half of its original 2015 workforce.
Launching the impact report, Qualifications Wales’ Chief Executive Philip Blaker said:
“This impact report is not just a reflection on what has been achieved. It is a celebration of collective effort over our first 10 years. We thank our staff, past and present, who enabled us to achieve all that we have over this period, our board members throughout the period, educators, awarding bodies, and stakeholders for their insight, energy, and commitment. Most of all, we celebrate Wales’ learners – their achievements, their resilience, and their futures. And as our new National Qualifications continue to be rolled out, our mission remains unchanged – to ensure that qualifications meet learners’ needs and promote confidence in qualifications and the qualifications system.”