Education (Scotland) Act 2025

1. Introductory Text

2. Part 1 Qualifications Scotland

   1. Establishment

      1. 1. Qualifications Scotland

   2. Functions

      1. 2. The function of awarding qualifications

      2. 3. The quality assurance function

      3. 4. The accreditation function

      4. 5. The advisory function

      5. 6. Working with, or recognition of, others

      6. 7. Duties when exercising functions

      7. 8. Consultation with Strategic Advisory Council

   3. Strategic Advisory Council

      1. 9. Strategic Advisory Council

   4. Expert Group on Qualifications Standards

      1. 10. Expert Group on Qualifications Standards

   5. Charters

      1. 11. The learner charter

      2. 12. The teacher and practitioner charter

      3. 13. Reviewing and revising the charters

      4. 14. Other charters

   6. Guidance

      1. 15. Guidance about assistance for people with educational support needs

   7. Accountability of Qualifications Scotland

      1. 16. Corporate plan of Qualifications Scotland

      2. 17. Annual report of Qualifications Scotland

      3. 18. Annual quality assurance compliance report of Qualifications Scotland

      4. 19. Reports of advice to Qualifications Scotland from certain committees

      5. 20. Accounts and audit of Qualifications Scotland

      6. 21. Scottish Ministers’ power to direct Qualifications Scotland

      7. 22. Guidance by the Scottish Ministers to Qualifications Scotland

      8. 23. Provision of information by Qualifications Scotland

   8. Accountability of the Accreditation Committee

      1. 24. Corporate plan of the Accreditation Committee

      2. 25. Annual report of the Accreditation Committee

      3. 26. Scottish Ministers’ power to direct the Accreditation Committee

   9. Funding and powers

      1. 27. Financial assistance

      2. 28. Funding and use of resources

      3. 29. General powers

   10. Supporting provisions

       1. 30. Publication of documents

   11. Reviews

       1. 31. Review of arrangements for assuring quality of qualifications

       2. 32. Review of accreditation function

3. Part 2 His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland

   1. Establishment

      1. 33. His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland

      2. 34. Deputy Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland

      3. 35. His Majesty’s Inspectors of Education in Scotland

      4. 36. Assistance with inspections

   2. Functions

      1. 37. Purpose of inspection

      2. 38. The inspection function

      3. 39. Meaning of “relevant educational establishment” and “excepted establishment”

      4. 40. The voluntary arrangements function

      5. 41. The advisory function

      6. 42. Working with others

      7. 43. Duties when exercising functions

   3. Advisory Council

      1. 44. Advisory Council

   4. Accountability

      1. 45. Inspection plan

      2. 46. Reports on inspections

      3. 47. Annual report

      4. 48. Report on performance of the Scottish education system

      5. 49. Other reports

      6. 50. Protection from actions of defamation

   5. Powers

      1. 51. General powers

   6. Cooperation with inspections

      1. 52. Powers of entry and inspection

      2. 53. Duty to provide assistance

      3. 54. Offences

   7. Enforcement following school-related inspections

      1. 55. Necessary improvements: referral to Scottish Ministers

      2. 56. Preliminary notice of enforcement action

      3. 57. Enforcement direction

   8. Supporting provisions

      1. 58. Publication of documents

4. Part 3 General and miscellaneous

   1. 59. Transfer of staff, property etc. to Qualifications Scotland

   2. 60. Dissolution of the Scottish Qualifications Authority

   3. 61. Transitional provisions

   4. 62. Consequential modifications

   5. 63. Interpretation

   6. 64. Regulation-making powers

   7. 65. Ancillary provision

   8. 66. Commencement

   9. 67. Short title

5. 1. Schedule 1

      Qualifications Scotland

      1. Part 1 Status

         1. 1. Exclusion of Crown status

      2. Part 2 Membership

         1. 2. Number and appointment of members

         2. 3. Appointment as a member: criteria

         3. 4. Period and conditions of membership

         4. 5. Early termination of membership

         5. 6. Members’ remuneration and allowances

         6. 7. Co-opted members

      3. Part 3 Staff

         1. 8. Chief executive, chief examiner, chief accreditation officer and other staff

         2. 9. Staff pensions

      4. Part 4 Procedure

         1. Chapter 1 Committees

            1. 10. Committees

            2. 11. The Learner Interest Committee

            3. 12. The Teacher and Practitioner Interest Committee

            4. 13. The Accreditation Committee

         2. Chapter 2 Administration of Qualifications Scotland and its committees

            1. 14. Regulation of procedure

            2. 15. Authority to perform functions

            3. 16. Member consultation requirement

            4. 17. Validity of things done

   2. Schedule 2

      The Office of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland

      1. Part 1 Status

         1. 1. Status

         2. 2. Independence

      2. Part 2 Appointment and terms

         1. 3. Appointment

         2. 4. Period and conditions of office

      3. Part 3 Staff

         1. 5. Staff

      4. Part 4 Procedure

         1. 6. Authority to perform functions

         2. 7. (1) The Scottish Ministers may assign to an Inspector the...

         3. 8. Validity of things done

   3. Schedule 3

      Transfer of staff, property etc. to Qualifications Scotland

      1. 1. Transfer date

      2. 2. Transfer of staff

      3. 3. Transfer of property

      4. 4. Duty to secure vesting of foreign property

      5. 5. Appointment of initial board members

   4. Schedule 4

      Consequential modifications

      1. Part 1 Qualifications Scotland

         1. Chapter 1 Application of legislation relating to public bodies to Qualifications Scotland

            1. 1. Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000

            2. 2. Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002

            3. 3. Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

            4. 4. Public Appointments and Public Bodies etc. (Scotland) Act 2003

            5. 5. Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010

            6. 6. Public Records (Scotland) Act 2011

            7. 7. Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014

            8. 8. Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018

            9. 9. Islands (Scotland) Act 2018

         2. Chapter 2 Other modifications relating to Qualifications Scotland

            1. 10. Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992

            2. 11. Education (Scotland) Act 1996

            3. 12. Scottish Qualifications Authority Act 2002

            4. 13. Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005

            5. 14. Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014

            6. 15. Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Act 2022

      2. Part 2 The office of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland

         1. Chapter 1 Application of legislation relating to office-holders to the Chief Inspector

            1. 16. Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

            2. 17. Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007

            3. 18. Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010

            4. 19. Public Records (Scotland) Act 2011

            5. 20. Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014

         2. Chapter 2 Other modifications relating to the Chief Inspector

            1. 21. Education (Scotland) Act 1980

            2. 22. Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000

            3. 23. Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006

            4. 24. Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010

            5. 25. Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010

            6. 26. Education (Scotland) Act 2016

            7. 27. Schools General (Scotland) Regulations 1975