Part 4Regulation and inspection of independent educational provision in England

Chapter 1Independent educational institutions in England

Introductory

92Independent educational institutions

1

For the purposes of this Chapter, “an independent educational institution” means—

a

an independent school, or

b

an institution other than an independent school which—

i

provides part-time education for one or more persons of compulsory school age (“part-time students”) whether or not it also provides full-time education for any person, and

ii

would be an independent school but for the fact that the education provided for the part-time student or students is part-time rather than full-time.

2

For the purposes of this section, an institution provides “part-time” education for a person if it provides education for the person—

a

for at least 12.5 hours a week, for at least 28 weeks, during an academic year at the end of which the person is under the age of 12, or

b

for at least 15 hours a week, for at least 28 weeks, during an academic year at the end of which the person is aged 12 or over,

which does not amount to full-time education.

3

Regulations may—

a

provide that a specified institution or an institution of a specified description is not an independent educational institution by virtue of subsection (1)(b);

b

provide that time spent on a specified activity or on an activity of a specified description is or is not to be treated as time during which education is being provided for the purposes of this section;

c

amend subsection (2)(a) or (b) so as to substitute a different number of weeks for the number of weeks for the time being mentioned there.

4

In this section—

  • “an academic year” means a period of 12 months ending with 31 August;

  • “specified” means specified in regulations under this section.