Spec changes... CCEA are changing their subject specifications
The Education and Skills Authority & CCEA Qualifications
A Message from Anne Marie Duffy, Director of Qualifications
Over the past few months, I have received various questions from teachers and principals about the impact of the establishment of the Education and Skills Authority (ESA) upon CCEA’s services.
The Education and Skills Authority (ESA)
As part of the Review of Public Administration, the Department of Education will bring together education services currently delivered by a number of organisations under this one body. CCEA is one organisation that will become part of the ESA.
The planned date for the establishment of ESA is 1st April 2009. The ESA Implementation Team has made it clear that the process of change to create the new organisation will take a number of years, but you should be assured that your dealings with CCEA will continue to the same high standard.
CCEA Services
Ensuring continuity of service during this change process is the highest priority for myself and my managers. I can assure you that:
- We will continue to provide the same range and quality of services.
- Our full range of online, print and event based support will continue to be provided free of charge.
- Our locally based subject specialists will still be contactable using the same telephone numbers and email addresses as before.
- A dedicated helpline will be available during the transition period to answer any queries that you, your students or their parents might have.
In addition, over the next 12 months I will bring you news of our revised GCSE specifications, plans for our new online results analysis service and enhanced online student support. Throughout the change process we will ensure that our products and services are not only maintained, but continue to be improved.
The CCEA logo on our qualification certificates and support materials will be replaced with an ESA logo. This will not happen before the summer 2009 examinations series which will be awarded under the CCEA logo.
The regulators have confirmed that future awards made under ESA will have the same status as those awarded previously by CCEA and will retain their value with universities and employers.
Through a series of planned communications CCEA will ensure that students, teachers and all relevant stakeholders are fully aware of the name change. They will be assured that the qualifications retain their currency as top class qualifications designed to suit the needs of Northern Ireland learners.
Anne Marie Duffy
Director of Qualifications
