These Regulations impose requirements on certain persons employed as teachers in institutions in the further education sector to have qualifications. The requirements will apply to teachers who satisfy the definition of “relevant teacher” in regulation 2 employed in institutions in the further education sector after 1st July 2002 if they have not previously taught in maintained schools or publicly funded further education institutions (regulation 3(1)). By virtue of section 218(13) of the Education Reform Act 1988 the Regulations will apply to persons engaged to provide services as teachers but who do not have contracts of employment, as well as to those employed under contracts of employment.

Regulations 3(2), (3) and (4) and 4 provide for the levels of qualifications and for the periods within which the qualifications must be obtained.

The Regulations also make a consequential amendment to the Education (Teachers' Qualifications and Health Standards) (Wales) Regulations 1999.

The standards for certain of the qualifications referred to in the Regulations are specified by the National Assembly for Wales. Copies of those standards may be obtained from The Further Education National Training Organisation (Wales), Quadrant Centre, Cardiff Business Park, Llanishen, Cardiff, CF14 5WF.