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relatively simple one. However, incorporating yet another change seemed the
precipitating factor in a transformation of UCLES’ overall structure. An
exceptionally long excerpt from the interview explains what might be termed the
modernising of the venerable UCLES organisation:
Come 1998 and the formation of OCR, UCLES itself was transforming itself
(and it’s still doing that, but let’s leave that for now). UCLES has a very big
EFL [English as a Foreign Language] business - it’s the second largest
awarding body in the world in English for speakers of other language, and it
has a large international.... So we had seriously to think about how we
organised ourselves. So we then, as UCLES, decided that we would transform
ourselves into business streams. One of those business streams was OCR. And
the other business streams are Cambridge International Exams [GCSEs and A
levels] and English for Speakers of Other Languages. We have a corporate
organisation which is shared and is run by the group’s Chief Executive. So
we ,ve got corporate IM [Internal Management] which is particularly important
in corporate finance, and we [OCR] are becoming more and more now an
UCLES organisation.
We are the largest awarding body - as UCLES - in the UK. But that isn ,t really
visible to many people. One of the successful things that I think we managed to
do internally ...is to transform particularly the RSA into an OCR brand. The
OCR did take on a name and has become known within the UK. Outside the
UK, nobody had the foggiest idea of what it is ...because Cambridge is
the...brand.
So... there were quite a few internal stresses that were nothing to do with the
external picture at all which had an impact on the organisation and in some
cases more of an impact that anything that’s happened outside. I think UCLES
is still very strong. Well, I know it ,s very strong. It ,s had a very strong bottom
line this year. We are supported quite a lot by how successful ESOL is. One of
the gains that OCR gets is being part of UCLES. OCR is the only awarding
body at the moment, as I understand it, over the last two years that has
actually ...not only breaks even, but actually has kept its head above water, as I
look at the accounts of all the awarding bodies.
(0CR2 2003)
This extensive quotation has been included as evidence of two important factors. The
first indicates that Cambridge will always ensure that it controls any body with which
it becomes involved. The second is that its global brand in the flourishing ESOL
market means that it is not subject to the financial pressures that affect the other two
English awarding bodies. This basic position explains the lukewarm Cambridge
response to the changes in the structure of 14-19 qualifications recommended by the