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RESEARCH STUDY INFORMATION

Study Title: Ofqual – Confidence Indicators Research (Focus Groups)
Researcher(s): Matt McGinn, Savanta
Research Organisation: Savanta
Recruiting Agency: Valeria Ordaz
Research Contact: [email protected]
Recruiter Contact: [email protected] (Val)

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Important information about recruitment:

You have been contacted through Roots/Take Part In Research, a professional research recruitment agency
The recruiter will provide you with their own privacy notice covering how they handle your contact details
Your participation in this research is separate from the recruitment process
The research team and recruitment agency have separate data protection responsibilities

WHAT IS THIS RESEARCH ABOUT?

We are asking you to take part in a research study. Before you decide, it's important that you understand:

Why we are doing this research
What it will involve for you
What will happen to the information you give us

Purpose of the research: Ofqual is the regulator for qualifications, examinations, and assessments in England and we often conduct research to understand people’s views about qualifications and assessments in England. You are receiving this information sheet and privacy notice because you have shown an interest in sharing your views on this topic in a focus group.

This research explores confidence in these qualifications, looking at drivers, barriers, and perceptions of fairness and trust.

Your participation in the research will allow Ofqual to understand how the public engages with the exams and qualifications system, and will shape how the organisation communicates to the public about this in the future.

How you were contacted: You have been invited to participate through Roots, a professional research recruitment agency who help us find people to take part in our research. Savanta is an independent research agency conducting this research on behalf of Ofqual.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU TAKE PART?

What you'll be asked to do:

Take part in a focus group discussion.

How long: 90 minutes

Where: Online

When: Roots/Take Part In Research can provide this information.

What we'll ask you about:

We’ll be talking about things like your relationship with the exams and qualifications system, as well as what drives your trust and confidence in them.

You don't have to answer any questions you don't want to.

You can stop taking part at any time.

The results of this research will be written up in a report, which may be shared with the public. Any information you give us will be kept confidential by Ofqual and will only be used to show overall findings. It will not identify you personally.

Recording:

We would like to audio record the session.

If we record, this helps us remember what was said. All recordings will be stored securely and deleted 90 days after the completion of this research, per Savanta’s Privacy Policy.

Savanta will use the audio recording to produce a transcript of the focus group discussion. Savanta will share an anonymised version of the transcript with Ofqual. Ofqual will keep the transcript for up to 7 years, then delete it.

YOUR RIGHTS AND CHOICES

Your participation is completely voluntary:

You can choose not to take part
You can leave at any time during the research without giving a reason and without detriment to yourself. If you do so, we will not collect additional information from you.
You won't be penalised in any way for not taking part or leaving

You have the right to:

Ask questions about the research at any time
Request a copy of your personal data we hold
Ask us to correct any mistakes in your information
Complain to the Information Commissioner's Office if you're unhappy with how we've handled your data

CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION

How we'll protect your privacy:

Your real name will not be used in any reports
We'll use a made-up name (pseudonym) or participant number
We'll keep your personal details separate from your research responses
Only authorised research team members will have access to your information

What information we'll collect:

Your responses during the research session
Basic information about you (age, location) for analysis purposes

How long we'll keep your information:

Personal data will be deleted 90 days after the completion of this research, per Savanta’s Privacy Policy.

Under GDPR, we are processing your data based on your consent and for legitimate research purposes in the public interest.

Our legal basis for processing your personal data

Savanta and Ofqual are joint data controllers for this project. This means both organisations share responsibility for keeping your information safe.

Savanta is collecting and storing your personal information in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. These laws exist to protect your personal information.

Ofqual is allowed to carry out research under Section 169 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009. Because of this, our legal basis for using your personal information is called “public task”. This means we are doing this research as part of our official duties.

If we collect sensitive information (for example, health or disability details, even if these are only suggested by your answers), we do this for reasons of substantial public interest and because the law allows us to carry out research. This helps us make sure we hear from people who prepare students for exams.

We will only use the information you give us for this research and will only collect what is relevant for the purposes explained in this document.

For more details about how your information will be used and protected, and to learn about your rights, please read the privacy notices linked below.

Savanta: https://savanta.com/privacy-policy/

Ofqual: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofqual/about/personal-information-charter.

Who might see your information:

Research team members
The recruitment agency will have access to your contact details and basic screening information only
Information will be anonymised before any sharing

Important note about recruitment: The recruitment agency (Roots/Take Part In Research) has separate data protection policies for the information they collect during recruitment. They will provide you with their own privacy notice.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE RESULTS?

The findings will be used to help Ofqual design ‘confidence indicators’ that it can use to track public perceptions of the exams and qualifications system (i.e., a set of factors it can measure over time to see how opinions change).

You will not be identifiable in any reports or publications. Your answers will be kept confidential, and the information you give will be anonymised. This means your name and any details that could identify you will be removed.

We encourage you not to include identifying details. If you do share something that could identify you, another person, or a school or college, it will either be left out of the report or changed so no one can tell who it refers to.

We may include quotes from what you say in the final report, but we will never use your name.

Any personal information we collect will be handled in line with the Data Protection Act and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

COMPLAINTS

If you have any concerns about this research, please contact:

Primary researcher: Matt McGinn, Savanta ([email protected])
Recruitment agency: Valeria Ordaz, Roots/Take Part In Research ([email protected])
Information Commissioner's Office: ico.org.uk (for data protection concerns)

YOUR CONSENT

Please read each statement and tick the boxes if you agree:

About the research:

I have read and understood the information about this research study
I have had the opportunity to ask questions about the study
I understand that taking part is voluntary and I can withdraw at any time
I understand that I can ask for my data to be deleted up to 20 January 2026, when participants’ responses are aggregated and analysed as a complete data set.

About my data:

I agree to my responses being used for this research
I agree to my data being stored securely by Savanta for 90 days after the completion of this research
I understand that my information will be kept confidential and I will not be identifiable in reports
I understand how my personal data will be processed under GDPR

About data and privacy:

I agree to the session being audio recorded
I agree to the session being video recorded
I understand that recordings will be stored securely and deleted 90 days after the completion of this research

DATA CONTROLLER INFORMATION

Data Controller: Savanta and Ofqual are joint data controllers for this project. This means both organisations share responsibility for keeping your information safe.
Data Protection Officer: [email protected], [email protected]
Registration:

If you would like to contact Ofqual to discuss how we handle your personal information or to discuss your rights, you can email [email protected], contact Ofqual by telephone on 0300 303 3344, or write to us at the following address:

Ofqual,
2nd floor,
1 Friargate,
Station Square,
Coventry,
CV1 2GN

If you have any concerns about your information, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) www.ico.org.uk, and you can contact Ofqual’s Data Protection Officer by email [email protected].

You can read Ofqual’s Personal Information Charter for further information about how Ofqual handles your personal information.

YOUR DETAILS

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January 7, 2026 12:05 pm BST

RESEARCH STUDY INFORMATION Uploaded by Valeria Ordaz - [email protected] IP 82.148.32.25

January 7, 2026 12:17 pm BST

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January 7, 2026 12:17 pm BST

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