The Education and Skills Act 2008 (Commencement No. 1 and Savings) (Wales) Order 2009

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order is the first commencement order made by the Welsh Ministers under the Education and Skills Act 2008 (“the Act”).

Article 2 brings into force on 31 March 2009 the majority of section 162 of the Act. This amends the functions of the Welsh Ministers in relation to external vocational and academic qualifications under section 30 of the Education Act 1997. It imposes new functions of developing and publishing criteria for the recognition of persons who wish to award or authenticate qualifications, and recognising persons who apply for recognition and meet the criteria. The remainder of section 162 is commenced by article 5.

Article 3 brings into force on 31 March 2009 sections 150, 152 and 153 of the Act which introduce new provisions about preferences relating to sixth form education from the school year 2010-2011 and makes other minor consequential school admissions amendments.

Article 4 provides that the amendments to sections 86 and 94 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 do not affect school admissions for the school year 2009-2010.