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