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Welsh Statutory Instruments

2019 No. 1131 (W. 196)

Education, Wales

The Education (School Day and School Year) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2019

Made

16 July 2019

Laid before the National Assembly for Wales

17 July 2019

Coming into force

1 September 2019

The Welsh Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred on the Secretary of State by sections 551 and 569(4) and (5) of the Education Act 1996(1), and now vested in them(2), make the following Regulations:

Title and commencement

1.  The title of these Regulations is the Education (School Day and School Year) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 and they come into force on 1 September 2019.

Amendment of Regulations

2.—(1) The Education (School Day and School Year) (Wales) Regulations 2003(3) are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 3, omit the definitions of “foundation stage” and “key stage”.

(3) In regulation 4, omit paragraph (7).

(4) For regulation 5, substitute—

5.(1) This paragraph applies to any school session falling within the school years 2019—2020, 2020—2021 and 2021—2022 which is devoted (wholly or mainly) to the—

(a)provision of training (including training attended by both teaching and non-teaching staff and training conducted jointly with other schools), or

(b)preparation and planning for teachers in maintained schools,

in relation to the curriculum to be taught at the school as a result of the prospective changes to the curriculum for Wales.

(2) Paragraph (1) is to have effect in relation to no more than two school sessions in the third term of each school year.

(3) Where paragraph (1) applies, that session is to be regarded for the purposes of regulation 4 as a session on which the school has met..

Kirsty Williams

Minister for Education, one of the Welsh Ministers

16 July 2019

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

The Education (School Day and School Year) (Wales) Regulations 2003 (“the 2003 Regulations”) apply to schools maintained by local authorities and to special schools whether or not so maintained. They make provision, among other things, for a school day which is ordinarily to be divided into two sessions with a break in the middle, and for schools (other than nursery schools) to meet for at least 380 sessions during any school year.

These Regulations amend the 2003 Regulations to provide for up to two sessions in the third term of each of the 2019—2020, 2020—2021 and 2021—2022 school years to count as sessions on which the school met if they were devoted to the provision of training, or preparation and planning, in relation to prospective changes to the curriculum for Wales. These proposed changes arise from the Independent Review of Curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales and the subsequent report “Successful Futures” (September 2015). They also amend regulations 3 and 4 of the 2003 Regulations by omitting redundant provisions.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained from the Pupil Wellbeing Branch, the Support for Learners Division, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.

(1)

1996 c.56. Section 551(1A) was inserted by paragraph 39 of Schedule 7 to the Education Act 1997 (c. 44), and section 551(2) was amended by paragraph 166 of Schedule 30 and Schedule 31 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (c. 31). For the meaning of “regulations” and “prescribed” see section 579(1).

(2)

The functions of the Secretary of State were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales by the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 (S.I.1999/672) and then to the Welsh Ministers by paragraph 30 of Schedule 11 to the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c.32).