Technical and Further Education Act 2017

Valid from 02/01/2018

2 Information about technical education: access to English schools E+W

(1) The Education Act 1997 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 42A insert—

“42B Information about technical education: access to English schools

(1) The proprietor of a school in England within subsection (2) must ensure that there is an opportunity for a range of education and training providers to access registered pupils during the relevant phase of their education for the purpose of informing them about approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships.

(2) A school is within this subsection if it provides secondary education and is one of the following—

(a) an Academy;

(b) an alternative provision Academy;

(c) a community, foundation or voluntary school;

(d) a community or foundation special school (other than one established in a hospital);

(e) a pupil referral unit.

(3) The proprietor of a school in England within subsection (2) must prepare a policy statement setting out the circumstances in which education and training providers will be given access to registered pupils for the purpose of informing them about approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships.

(4) The proprietor must ensure that the policy statement is followed.

(5) The policy statement must include—

(a) any procedural requirements in relation to requests for access;

(b) grounds for granting and refusing requests for access;

(c) details of premises or facilities to be provided to a person who is given access.

(6) The proprietor may revise the policy statement from time to time.

(7) The proprietor must publish the policy statement and any revised statement.

(8) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision supplementing subsection (1), for example provision about who is to be given access to pupils, to which pupils they are to be given access and how and when.

(9) For the purposes of this section the relevant phase of a pupil's education is the period—

(a) beginning at the same time as the school year in which the majority of pupils in the pupil's class attain the age of 13, and

(b) ending with the expiry of the school year in which the majority of pupils in the pupil's class attain the age of 18.

(10) In this section “approved technical education qualification” means a qualification approved under section A2DA of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009.”

(3) In section 42A (provision of careers guidance in schools in England), in subsection (7), omit the definition of “apprenticeship” (which has become outdated).

(4) In section 45A (guidance as to discharge of duties: schools in England), in subsection (2), for “42A(1) or (4)” substitute “ section 42A(1) or (4) or 42B ”.

(5) In section 46 (extension or modification of provisions of sections 43 to 45), in subsection (1)—

(a) after “42A,” insert “ 42B, ”;

(b) after “42A(6),” insert “ 42B(9) ”.