Gavin Willliamson has said that exams regulator Ofqual needs to change to become effective and win back public confidence.

The criticism from the education secretary - on the day that Ofqual chief regulator Sally Collier resigned - is his latest public attack on the performance of the exams watchdog since its grading U-turn.

Last Monday, Mr Williamson said that “Ofqual didn’t deliver the [exam grading] system that we had been reassured and believed that would be in place”.

A statement followed the next day saying that the Department for Education had “full confidence” in Ofqual and its leadership. But it is understood that this was only made after Ofqual chair Roger Taylor threatened to quit, with the DfE concerned about the prospect of a void at the top of the regulator.

Now with former Ofqual chief Dame Glenys Stacey back in her old role with support from Ofsted chief inspector and ex-Ofqual chair Amanda Spielman; Mr Williamson has renewed his offensive against Ofqual.

In a letter to the chair of the Commons Education Select Committee Robert Halfon, the secretary of state says that a key immediate priority for the regulator is: “To put in place the organisational change needed to return Ofqual as an organisation to effectiveness and public trust.

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The letter, informing Mr Halfon of the resignation of Ms Collier, also says Ofqual needs to ensure that the autumn exam series and those in 2021 can be delivered.

Mr Williamson writes that: “The priorities for Ofqual over the coming months seem to me to be fourfold.”

The other three priorities he lists, alongside organisation change are:

• To respond effectively to the problems around both the GQ and VTQ results over the last month and provide assurance that appropriate lessons have been learned.
• To look ahead to the autumn exam series and to 2021, to ensure that both GQ and VTQ examinations and the results from them can be effectively delivered.
• To successfully take up its new responsibilities for the external quality of assurance of apprenticeship end-point assessment.

Future priorities for @ofqual as set out (in letter to me) by Education Secretary @GavinWilliamson @educationgovuk ? pic.twitter.com/WLTtbpzYp4

- Robert Halfon MP -Working Hard for Harlow- (@halfon4harlowMP) August 25, 2020

Commenting on the appointment of Ms Stacey, Mr Williamson says: “I welcome those arrangements and it is good to see in moments of serious difficulty likes these, organisations across the education sector are able to come together to support one another in the interests of children, learners and their families.”

Ms Collier’s departure comes after a fortnight of turmoil surrounding this year’s GCSE and A level results that saw Ofqual perform a U-turn to use centre-assessed grades for students’ results unless the moderated grade from the regulator was higher.