19.—(1) The Board of Governors of a grant-aided school shall, in relation to all registered pupils at the school who are over compulsory school age, provide access to at least the specified number of qualifying courses of which—
(a)not fewer than one third shall be applied courses;
(b)not fewer than one third shall be general courses.
(2) For the purposes of this Article “the specified number” is such number as the Department may for the time being specify by directions.
(3) For the purposes of this Article a “qualifying course” is a course of study which—
(a)leads to an external qualification for the time being approved by the Department under Article 81(2) of the 1998 Order; and
(b)is specified by the Department as a qualifying course for those purposes.
(4) For the purposes of this Article a Board of Governors of a grant-aided school provides access to a qualifying course if—
(a)the course is provided by the school; or
(b)the course is provided on behalf of the school in accordance with arrangements made under Article 21.