 Following a career in schools and teacher training institutions in England and Scotland, and in school examining, Dr Tate joined England's National Curriculum Council in 1989 at the time of the establishment of the English national curriculum, and for the next 11 years worked for a succession of public bodies charged with the administration of England's school curriculum, assessment and qualifications systems.From 1994 to 1997 he was chief executive of the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority and from 1997 to 2000 chief executive of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (the bureau was renamed in 1997).In both of these positions he was the chief curriculum and qualifications adviser to the Secretary of State for Education.