Education (Individual Pupils' Achievements) (Information) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations, made under Article 17A of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 and Article 31(2) and (3) of the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (“the 1989 Order”), revoke and replace the Education (Individual Pupils' Achievements) (Information) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995, (“the 1995 Regulations”) with effect from 19th February 1998. They require principals of all grant-aided schools (other than nursery schools) to provide information about the achievements of individual pupils, including those above compulsory school age, to parents of the pupils. Principals must also provide a summative record of his achievements during his school career (a “summative Record of Achievement”) to each pupil finishing the second or fourth key stage, or leaving the school in the sixth form. (The Regulations do not apply in respect of pupils below compulsory school age in primary schools or special schools.)

Regulation 7 prescribes the information which is to be provided to parents. If the pupil is in the final year of the first or third key stage the requirements are unchanged from those in the 1995 Regulations. The information consists of the summary results of any assessment of the pupil in that year in each subject in which he has been assessed in accordance with assessment arrangements specified in an order made under Article 7(1)(b) of the 1989 Order (in the case of a pupil in the final year of the third key stage, the outcomes of teacher assessment and of external tests must be shown separately), comparative information about the performance of other pupils in the same school, the results of any public examinations taken by the pupil for which he was prepared by the school, and brief particulars of his achievements in any other subject or activity which forms part of his curriculum (regulation 7(1)(a) and Schedule 1, paragraphs 1 and 2). In the case of a pupil with special educational needs, his assessment results must be provided as a level of attainment in each subject and each attainment target of each subject in which he was assessed in accordance with the statutory arrangements (Schedule 1, paragraph 4). If the pupil has been exempted from any part of a programme of study, the principal is required to provide that information (Schedule 1, paragraphs 1(1)(d), 2(c) and 5).

If the pupil is in the final year of the second key stage, the information consists of the results of any assessment of the pupil in that year in each subject in which he has been assessed in accordance with assessment arrangements specified in an order made under Article 7(1)(b) of the 1989 Order and in each attainment target of each such subject, comparative information about the performance of other pupils in the same school, the results of any public examinations taken by the pupil for which he was prepared by the school, brief particulars of his achievements in any other subject or activity which forms part of his curriculum (regulation 7(1)(a) and Schedule 1, paragraphs 1 and 3).

If the pupil is in the final year of the fourth key stage, or is in the sixth form, the information consists of details of the pupil’s performance in public examinations and brief particulars of his achievements in any other subject or activity which forms part of his curriculum (regulation 7(1)(b) and (c) and Schedules 2 and 3).

If the pupil is in any other year, the information consists of brief particulars of his achievements in all the subjects and activities which form part of his curriculum, including the results of any public examinations he has taken (regulation 7(1)(d) and (2)).

Regulation 8 prescribes the time and manner of the provision of this information to parents. The information must be sent to parents (by post or otherwise) by 30th June (regulation 8(1)). Where the principal receives public examination results of pupils after 30th June he must send these to parents as soon as reasonably practicable (regulation 8(2)).

Regulation 9 places a duty on principals to disclose to parents of pupils in the first or third key stages, on request, details of a pupil’s level of attainment in each attainment target of any subject in which the pupil has been assessed in accordance with the statutory assessment arrangements.

Regulation 10 prescribes the information which is to be provided in a pupil’s summative Record of Achievement. Where the pupil is in the final year of the second key stage, the information to be provided consists of the results of his assessment in each subject in which the pupil has been assessed in accordance with the statutory arrangements and in each attainment target of each such subject, and brief particulars of his achievements in any other subject or activity which forms part of his curriculum, together with details of any qualification, award or certificate gained for which he was prepared by the school, or by any other primary school he has attended, and brief particulars of any societies, clubs or other activities in which he has been involved, including particulars of any position of responsibility he has held in them, during his attendance at the school or at any other primary school; specified elements of the information must be supplied in a format prescribed in the regulations (regulation 10(1)(a) and Schedules 4 and 5).

If the pupil is in the final year of the fourth key stage, or is in the sixth form and is leaving school, the information consists of details of the pupil’s performance in public examinations and brief particulars of his achievements in any other subject or activity which forms part of his curriculum, together with details of any qualification, award or certificate gained for which he was prepared by the school, or by any other secondary school he has attended, and brief particulars of any societies, clubs or other activities in which he has been involved, including particulars of any positions of responsibility he has held in them, during his attendance at the school or at any other secondary school; specified elements of the information must be supplied in a format prescribed in the regulations (regulation 10(1)(b) and (c) and Schedules 6, 7 and 8).

Regulation 11 prescribes the time and manner of the provision of summative Records of Achievement. If a pupil is at the end of the final year of the second key stage, the principal must send the summative Record of Achievement to the pupil’s parent by 30th June (regulation 11(1)). If the pupil is in the final year of the fourth key stage or is leaving the school from the sixth form, the principal must make the summative Record of Achievement available to the pupil, on request, by 30th June and must, in any case, give it to the pupil not later than 30th September (regulation 11(2)). If the principal receives public examination results after the information in the summative Record of Achievement has been issued to a pupil at the end of the fourth key stage or in the sixth form he must send these to the pupil as soon as reasonably practicable (regulation 11(3)).