“We’ve greatly valued the constructive and receptive manner in which Jo Saxton has listened to the voice of school and college leaders and we look forward to working with her again when she takes up her new role as chief executive of UCAS.
“We also look forward to working with Jo’s successor once that appointment is made. We will continue to make the case for the introduction of a new type of qualification which better recognises the achievements of the ‘forgotten third’ of young people who at the age of 16 fall short of at least a Grade 4 GCSE in English and maths.
“It is effectively baked into the system that this is the fate of one-third of young people every year with the consequent damage to their future education choices, career options and morale. This cannot go on.”