Confederation of British Industry - Sir Digby Jones, Director General

The CBI is delighted to support the new Institute of Educational Assessors (IEA).

We hope the Institute will offer vital evidence of how the standards of qualifications offered inside and outside the classroom can remain high.

Business needs confidence in the examination system and any initiative aimed at improving the quality and reliability of assessment in education and training is to be welcomed.

Ruth Lea - Director of the Centre for Policy Studies

I am very happy to support the proposed Institute of Educational Assessors. It is a much-needed organisation and I wish it well.

British Chambers of Commerce

The British Chambers of Commerce welcomes the establishment of the Institute of Educational Assessors. Increased support for assessors is vital if we are to improve the quality of educational assessment and increase public confidence in teaching and learning in our education system.

Sir Mike Tomlinson

In my report I recommended that an 'institute of assessment' be set up. The establishment of The Institute of Educational Assessors (IEA) now will provide, at last, a means of recognising the assessment skills of our teachers and lecturers. I wish it every success.

The Institute will be important first of all in giving proper public recognition for the many tens of thousands of teachers and others who give up an awful lot of their time to make our examination system work.

It will also prove influential in shaping the nature of the assessment system we have, or might have. It will be important too, in providing the sort of training and support that all teachers need in order to be effective in assessing students. All in all I think it's a very important step forward and I give it my full support.

Barry Sheerman - Chairman, Education and Training Select Committee

Testing and assessment, in the many different ways they are carried out in different educational settings, are key elements of a successful education system. People need to have confidence in the processes, and so I am very supportive of what the Institute of Educational Assessors is aiming to do in professionalising the practice of assessment.

Nick Gibb - Conservative Shadow Minister for Schools

It is important that standards of exam assessors remain and continue to remain high. An institute established to maintain these standards is an important step and should help to deliver confidence in the exam system to the public.

Sarah Teather - Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills

I am very pleased to be able to send some words of support to the Institute of Educational Assessors at your launch event. I am very sorry that I can't be there in person, but I'm in the committee for the Education and Inspections Bill all day today.

The sign of a good idea is when you think 'why hasn't anyone thought of that before' when you hear about it, and that's what I thought when I received the invitation to the IEA's launch. I was surprised that such a body hadn't previously existed, and I pay tribute to the work of the National Assessment Agency for its role in setting it up.

Every year we go through the ritual pantomime argument about whether results have really improved or whether exams have got easier. There is a genuine debate about teaching to tests and methods of marking, but it can get obscured by the punch-and-judy show surrounding it. I hope that the IEA, as a voice for assessors as a whole, will play its part in this national debate, adding a much-needed voice of authority and reason into proceedings.

Of course, that is not the only purpose of the IEA. The level of support among members and prospective members for such an organisation was borne out by the results of the surveys for the consultation in setting it up. 85% of respondents thought that an IEA should support excellence in assessment, disseminate good practice, offer professional development and provide professional recognition. Without in any way suggesting that such development was needed previously, it cannot be at all bad that there will now be structured opportunities to improve assessors' skills and gain the confidence from knowing that there is a network of people doing the same work as you. If nothing else, it's good to know that others are out there in the same boat!

Training, development, sharing information, making a collective voice heard: these are right and proper roles for a representative body, and I look forward to working with the IEA to meet these goals in the future.

With very best wishes both for today and for the success of the organisation.

Jane Davidson - Minister for Education, Life-long Learning and Skills - Welsh Assembly Government

The Minister was interested to hear about progress in setting up the Institute of Educational Assessors. She wishes the Institute well for the launch on 9 May and in the future.

The Minister hopes that the Institute will be a significant source of support and expertise for all those involved in assessment in the UK. She has asked Officials from the Welsh Assembly Government Qualifications and Curriculum Group to continue to work with you to help ensure that the Institute will be of assistance to assessors in Wales.

Ofsted

... we wish the new institute well.

Professor Ray Page - Chief Executive and Registrar - College of Teachers

The foundation of this new Institute of Educational Assessors is welcomed by the College of Teachers, because it will answer a need for greater comparability and compatibility of the great range of assessment systems that are in operation in the UK. As an awarding body, the College of Teachers is aware of the problems facing those professionals making assessments and because there is no formula that can be applied to one organisation's assessment procedures with anothers to establish equivalences, this process must depend on the integrity, experience and continued training of those undertaking assessment. The Institute faces a tough task, but in setting out to work with other organisations to disseminate good practice in assessment by providing access to research, offering networking opportunities, and developing training and qualifications, it is very much setting out in the right direction. The College of Teachers wishes it well in its task.

David Gee - Managing Director National Assessment Agency (NAA)

The Institute of Educational Assessors will be a cornerstone of the modernisation programme to improve the quality of assessment, reduce the burden in schools while sustaining and improving public confidence in educational standards

Mike Creswell - Director General, Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA)

I very much welcome the launch of the Institute of Educational Assessors. Assessment is a crucial part of teaching and learning and the Institute has the potential to be a much needed forum for improving the quality of educational assessment in all its forms.

John Guy - Principal, The Sixth Form College Farnborough and Chair, Assessment sub-group: 14-19 Curriculum and Qualifications Reform (Tomlinson Report)

A central plank of the Tomlinson reforms was that teachers, lecturers and trainers be equipped with the knowledge and expertise to play a greater role in the assessment of their learners. An institute of assessment was seen as one way of bringing that about, through professional development in assessment practice and the introduction of 'Chartered Assessors' in each school, college and training provider.

I believe the newly-formed independent Institute of Educational Assessors will be pivotal in bringing about this positive change, in line with the Tomlinson proposals; it will enhance the credibility of assessment by teachers and others in their education and training settings. I fully support, and welcome, this major contribution to a modern and improved system.

Jerry Jarvis - Managing Director, Edexcel

Edexcel is pleased to see the development of a professional body for experienced examiners. An independent Institute of Educational Assessors could provide skilled and experienced examiners, markers and moderators with the opportunity to improve their skills and constructively debate assessment issues.

Professor Roger Murphy - University of Nottingham

Assessment is a vital part of schooling and education throughout the world and teachers are mostly in the best position to conduct sensitive and meaningful assessments of their own students. In order for such assessments to be conducted to the highest standards teachers need appropriate training, support, and formal recognition for their assessment skills. I believe that the independent Institute of Educational Assessors will help to provide that, and wish it every success.

Alison Wolf - Sir Roy Griffiths Professor of Public Sector Management and Company Member

In our modern world, learning is ultimately only as effective as the assessments which drive it. Yet the process of assessment is either seen as boring and routine - when it is neither - or as a drag on education, with nothing positive to offer. Such attitudes ignore the vital role assessment plays, both as a source of guidance and good practice, and as a central part of any education system dedicated to fairness and equal opportunity for all. The Institute of Educational Assessors should help improve both the quality of assessment, and society's understanding of what good assessment is about. I wish it every success.

Sir Roderick Floud - Master, the Guild of Educators

The Guild of Educators welcomes the birth of the independent Institute of Educational Assessors, and its proposed development of Chartered Assessor status for professionals involved with assessment at all levels in school, college or training environments - as recommended in the Tomlinson Report. As an institute it will have an important role to play in maintaining and raising standards throughout education and training establishments.

Eton College - Tony Little, the Head Master

The creation of the Institute of Educational Assessors is potentially an important development and I wish you every success in creating a professional voice for examiners which will help raise professional standards.

Anton Colella - Chief Executive of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)

Like the other examination bodies in the UK, we depend heavily on the effectiveness and professionalism of assessors for the delivery of our qualifications system. We welcome the establishment of this new Institute, and we wish them well in their work.

Steve Sinnott - General Secretary, National Union of Teachers (NUT)

We look forward to working with the Institute in supporting teachers' work on assessment and public examinations. We look forward also to the Institute contributing to the removal of unnecessary assessment burdens and aspects of assessment which undermine learning.

ASCL - John Dunford, General Secretary

ASCL supports the aims of the Institute. Assessment is an important professional activity, integral to the teaching process. I hope that the Institute will help to build public confidence in teacher assessment so that greater reliance can be placed on the professional judgement of teachers in assessing grades for qualifications.

Professional Association of Teachers

PAT recognises the vital role taken by all those involved in assessment activities and welcomes the part the Institute of Educational Assessors will have in promoting and supporting these professionals.

We believe that the opportunity for like-minded individuals to enhance their professional development and share experiences of good practice will raise their status and add value to their contribution to assessment of public, professional and occupational qualifications.

PAT has a membership of practitioners across the Nursery to Tertiary sectors, all of whom have a significant part in the assessment of their students - we look forward to working together in partnership with all interested parties in the development of the Institute.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT)

The National Association of Head Teachers looks forward with interest to the establishment and future work of the Institute of Educational Assessors. The Association believes strongly that, for assessment to be central to effective teaching and learning, every means should be taken to assist with professional development in this area. It is essential that all assessment is both fit for purpose and of the highest quality. The establishment of the IEA is an opportunity to build on work already being undertaken in this field. Assessment is of importance across the whole spectrum of education and, indeed, across the full age range. It is not only summative assessment that matters, but formative and diagnostic also. The IEA's work in this area will be of enormous value if it can begin to address such issues as public/parental credibility and quality assurance and the Association will be pleased to work with the Institute to this end.

Chris Keates - NASUWT General Secretary

All teachers and learners are entitled to benefit from assessment that is carried out in a valid, reliable and manageable way. NASUWT believes that this can only be achieved by policies and practices which enable teachers to exercise their professional judgement and which enhance not detract from their core role of effective teaching. NASUWT will work positively with any organisation that shares a commitment to bringing about streamlined, non-bureaucratic and fit for purpose assessment in schools and colleges.

Graham Soles - Headteacher, Brighouse High School, West Yorkshire and Company Member

As a serving headteacher with thirty-six-years experience of teaching and leadership, I am pleased to be associated with the establishment of the Institute of Educational Assessors. This presents a real opportunity to build a system for assessment development that will be of the highest quality. In an increasingly complex and changing world it is important that the standards of our work are perceived to be consistent and transparent with a constant drive for improvement and excellence.

Commenting on the launch of the Institute of Educational Assessors today, Tuesday 9th May 2006, GTC Chief Executive Carol Adams comments:

The launch of the Institutional Educational Assessors is a very positive move in support of maintaining and improving the quality of assessment in our schools. As the professional body for teaching the GTC advocates investment in specialist assessment roles and also supports the development of specialist career paths for teachers in relation to assessment. The Council also believes strongly in the power of professional development to raise standards and the emphasis of the new Institute on developing best practice and increasing opportunities for development of its members is to be welcomed.

However, it is important that all teachers have the opportunity to develop their skills and experience in assessment, not just those involved in formal examination. Teachers assess pupils' work continually both to record and to support their learning in a way that is vital to the tailoring of teaching to the individual child. We look forward to working with the Institute as it develops its work to support effective assessment.