Public appointment: Members appointed to the Board of the Scottish Qualifications Authority

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Ms Gilruth, today announced the appointment of Ronnie Erskine, Simon Hewitt, John Morton, Caroline McFarlane and Michelle Wailes as Members of the Board of the Scottish Qualifications Authority. While these appointments will be initially to the SQA the new members are, subject to the agreement of the Scottish Parliament, expected to join the inaugural Board of Qualifications Scotland when it is established.

Cabinet Secretary Jenny Gilruth said:

“These appointments are a key milestone in the transition to Qualifications Scotland. The new SQA Board members will refocus the leadership of the SQA by bringing in fresh perspectives and frontline teaching experience which will help drive forward Education Reform.”

“I look forward to working with the refreshed SQA Board as it supports the SQA to improve its engagement with teachers and learners and to make the transition to Qualifications Scotland whilst continuing to deliver for the people of Scotland.”

Members

Ronnie Erskine brings a breadth of finance, change management, strategic and risk management experience to this role from various public bodies over a 40-year period. His experience includes senior roles in finance and corporate functions in Central Government, Local Government and the Education sector with responsibility for up to 300 staff and budgets of up to £6bn. Ronnie's experience in the Education sector includes senior roles at the General Teaching Council for Scotland and Renfrewshire Council, as well as chairing Parent Councils at his children's Primary and Secondary schools. He is currently a Board member at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, where he chairs the Audit and Risk Committee, a role he also performed whilst a Board member at NHS Tayside. In a voluntary capacity, Ronnie has chaired CIPFA in Scotland, the chartered public finance accountancy body.

Simon Hewitt has nearly 20 years’ experience in further education, originally starting as a Lecturer in Computing, to working most recently as Principal of Dundee & Angus College since 2020. Simon has also held several non-executive and advisory roles across the UK including association with the College Alliance, Chair of Energy Skills Partnership (ESP) and board membership roles within the Students Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS), WEA Scotland and Dundee Science Centre.  With a background in digital and data, Simon also chairs the DataLab Skills Advisory Board and has held advisory positions on the Skills Development Scotland (SDS) Digital Economy Skills Board and ScotlandIS Digital Skills Board. Simon is a passionate believer in collaborative, human centred approaches to designing curriculum and services, and helped establish Scotland’s first accredited qualification in Service Design.

John Morton is a communications consultant with over 30 years’ experience working with public and private sector organisations to deliver effective corporate communications strategies. He has supported successful organisational change programmes across health technology and fire safety sectors in the UK. As a parent of four children education in the Scottish school system, he is an advocate for an education system that is responsive and delivers the best possible learning opportunities for young people.

Caroline McFarlane brings a unique and comprehensive perspective to the Board, shaped by over a decade of leadership in Scottish secondary schools, serving most recently as Depute Head Teacher at Banff Academy. Her diverse experience in roles including SQA marker, SQA coordinator and University lecturer, combined with her engagement in academic research, gives her a deep understanding of both practical teaching and systemic educational change. Currently completing her Doctorate in Education, Caroline's research on interdisciplinary education positions her as a forward-thinking leader in educational innovation. Her leadership during the pandemic, where she orchestrated a significant PPE production effort whilst also leading the online Technologies curriculum via e-Sgoil, highlights her ability to drive impactful, large-scale initiatives. Caroline's dedication to youth development is further demonstrated through her volunteer work as a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award supervisor and Scout leader. Her holistic approach, combining academic research, leadership, and community service, equips her with the vision and skills to influence education policy and development.

Michelle Wailes is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and has over 20 years’ experience in the professional and financial services industries and the public sector. She started her career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, working in the Government and Public Sector team.  During this time, she was engaged on the delivery of statutory audit services, internal audit services and specialist advisory projects across a wide range of Public and Private Sector Bodies in Scotland and the South East of England. She then spent over a decade working at the Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank Group where she gained extensive experience in internal audit, risk and corporate governance.  

Michelle is currently also a Board Member and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Board Member and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at the Scottish Canals, and a member of the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner Audit and Accountability Committee.  

Appointment

The appointments will be for four years and will run from 28 October 2024 to 27 October 2028.

The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

The appointments are part-time and attract a remuneration of £231.18 per day for a time commitment of up to 23 days per year.

Other ministerial appointments

Ronnie Erskine is a Member of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, for which he receives remuneration of £221.69 per day, for a time commitment of 4 days per month.

Michelle Wailes is a Member of Scottish Canals, for which she receives remuneration of £240 per day, for a time commitment of 24 days per year. She is a Member of NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, for which she receives remuneration of £9,030 per year, for a time commitment of 2 days per week and a Committee Member of the Police Investigation and Review Commissioner, for which she receives remuneration of £200 per day, for a time commitment of 4 days per year.

Simon Hewitt, John Morton, Caroline McFarlane and Michelle Wailes do not hold any other public appointments.

Political activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.  However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.   

Ronnie Erskine, Simon Hewitt, John Morton, Caroline McFarlane and Michelle Wailes have had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

SQA is Scotland’s national awarding and accreditation body. It is an executive non-departmental public body that reports to Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament. SQA’s remit and functions are set out in the Education (Scotland) Act 1996, as amended by the Scottish Qualifications Act 2002. SQA develops, maintains and improves qualifications gained at Scotland’s schools, colleges, employers and training providers.

The Cabinet Secretary introduced the Education (Scotland) Bill to Parliament. This Bill sets out the process for replacing the SQA with a new qualifications body, Qualifications Scotland, and includes provisions for Board members to transition to the new body. SQA will continue to deliver its awarding and accreditation functions until this new body is established, ensuring continuity for learners, teachers and everyone who accesses its services.