Mr Page began his career as a teacher before taking on multiple council roles as Director of Children’s Services at Salford City Council and Chief Executive of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.
He resigned as council boss in 2023 following a review which found that children were facing “significant harm” due to delayed responses. This came in the wake of the killing of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.
Aruther was murdered in June 2020 by his stepmother, who was jailed along with Arthur’s father.
The SQA board selected Mr Page from a shortlist of candidates, and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Jenny Gilruth approved the appointment.
A spokesperson for the SQA said: “Nick Page chose to step down from his last role after a critical inspection.
“It was a principled decision to allow fresh leadership to take improvements forward.
“The SQA board carried out full due diligence and was unanimous in its selection. Nick was also the unanimous choice of the SQA staff panel, which interviewed all candidates.”
In February, the former SQA Chief Executive Fiona Robertson stepped down following a series of high-profile controversies dating back to 2020. With her resignation, the SQA divided the leadership responsibilities between the Chief Executive and the newly created post of Chief Examining Officer, held by Donna Stewart.
With Mr Page’s appointment, there are now teachers in both of the top roles at the SQA.
Following its passage in Holyrood on Wednesday, the Education (Scotland) Bill will establish a new qualifications body called Qualifications Scotland, pending royal assent.
Staff and officers are expected to carry over to Qualifications Scotland when it assumes responsibilities in December.
Mr Page said that he was “honoured” to oversee the transition.
“The passage of the Education (Scotland) Bill challenges us all to make reform a success – and we will deliver.
“SQA is already transforming at pace to build strong foundations for Qualifications Scotland, harnessing the deep knowledge, skills and commitment of our people. We will accelerate that work to deliver a future that improves outcomes and supports learning and teaching.
“As a former teacher from a family of teachers, I am keenly aware of the challenges faced in classrooms, colleges and across the education community, especially since the pandemic.”
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He added that the SQA’s new Schools Unit, led by headteacher Sarah Brown as Senior Adviser, will be crucial for achieving the new organisation’s goal of amplifying the voices of teachers and students.
“We will also work across the education and skills community to ensure that assessment and awarding align with wider pathways for success.
“By building new partnerships with industry and employers, we will strengthen the relevance and range of our skills-based and vocational qualifications to unlock opportunities for learners. That will help support Scotland with the skills our country needs to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
“I look forward to bringing my experience – and the lessons I have learned – to my new role. I want to begin by thanking my new colleagues, who have demonstrated great professionalism and successfully delivered over these past years of challenge and uncertainty.”
Nick Page will take over as chief executive of the SQA in July and Qualifications Scotland when the new organisation takes over in December. (Image: SQA)
SQA Board Chair Shirley Rogers said that Mr Page was chosen because of his mixture of experience in the classroom and public service.
“I am absolutely delighted that Nick has chosen to join us. His career spans many achievements and a proven ability to lead through both change and challenge.
“I am confident that, drawing on these experiences and a commitment to learning from them, Nick will drive the positive transformation that ensures Qualifications Scotland delivers for every learner, every educator, and every community.”
The transition to Qualifications Scotland will be one of the final steps in a process that began in 2021 when former Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville announced that the SQA would be scrapped.
Over the next four years, the Scottish Government spent over £1 million commissioning a series of independent reviews into qualifications and assessments.
However, the Education (Scotland) Bill and its vision of Qualifications Scotland has received a lukewarm response from opposition parties, teachers and the chief researchers who had recommended the SQA’s replacement in the first place.
The EIS teaching union called the bill an “opportunity missed” for reform, while Professor Ken Muir, who carried out the original review for replacing the SQA, said it was “disappointing” that the bill preserves many of the major shortcomings he identified in the SQA’s structure.
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