The Education (School Performance Targets) (Wales) Regulations 1998

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which are made under section 19 of the Education Act 1997 require the governing body of every maintained school in Wales which provides education suitable for the requirements of pupils in the second key stage, third key stage, or pupils aged 15 years, to set annual targets in respect of the performance of pupils in certain tests and public examinations (or vocational qualifications), and to publish with the school’s annual report details of those targets and of the performance of pupils in such tests and examinations. The Regulations come into force on 1st October 1998.

Provisional, reviewed and final targets for 3, 2 and 1 year ahead respectively will have to be set in the 1998–99 and subsequent school years in respect of the performance of–

(a) second key stage pupils in National Curriculum tests (in English, Welsh, science and mathematics) (regulation 3),

(b) third key stage pupils in National Curriculum tests (in English, Welsh, science and mathematics) (regulation 4), and

(c) pupils, who will attain the age of 16 years during the school year to which the target relates, in GCSE examinations and corresponding vocational qualifications (regulation 5 and Schedule 1).

Once performance targets have been set, they may not subsequently be altered (regulation 6).

Information concerning performance targets and pupils' attainment results will have to be published every year with the governing body’s annual report to parents, unless that information relates to a school year in which there were 10 or fewer at the school as regards whom targets were required to be set, or (as the case may be) in the age group for which the relevant tests or examinations are designed (regulation 7 and Schedules 1 and 2).