Title, commencement and applicationI11
1
The title of these Regulations is the Welsh in Education Strategic Plans (Wales) Regulations 2019 and they come into force on 1 January 2020.
2
These Regulations apply in relation to Wales.
InterpretationI22
In these Regulations—
“the 1998 Act” (“Deddf 1998”) means the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 F1;
“the 2013 Act” (“Deddf 2013”) means the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013;
“the 2014 Act” (“Deddf 2014”) means the Education (Wales) Act 2014 F2;
“FEI” (“SAB”) means an institution within the further education sector in Wales as defined by section 91(3) of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 F3;
“plan” (“cynllun”) means a Welsh in education strategic plan as described by section 84(1) of the 2013 Act;
“provider of initial school teacher training” (“darparwr hyfforddiant cychwynnol athrawon ysgol”) means a provider of a course or programme of initial school teacher training accredited by the Education Workforce Council under article 3(1)(a) of the Education Workforce Council (Accreditation of Initial Teacher Training) (Additional Functions) (Wales) Order 2017 F4;
“reception” (“blwyddyn derbyn”) means a year group in which the majority of children will, in the school year, attain the age of 5;
“school learning support worker” (“gweithiwr cymorth dysgu mewn ysgol”) means a person who is registered with the Education Workforce Council in the category of school learning support worker as described in table 1 of Schedule 2 to the 2014 Act;
“school teacher” (“athro neu athrawes ysgol”) means a person who is registered with the Education Workforce Council in the category of school teacher as described in table 1 of Schedule 2 to the 2014 Act;
“school year” (“blwyddyn ysgol”) means the period beginning with the first school term to begin after July and ending with the beginning of the first such term to begin after the following July;
“Welsh in education planning forum” (“fforwm cynllunio Cymraeg mewn addysg”) means a body established by a local authority for the purpose of improving the provision of Welsh medium education, the members of which consist of local authority officers and such other persons as the local authority considers appropriate;
“year 1” (“blwyddyn 1”) means a year group in which the majority of children will, in the school year, attain the age of 6;
“year 10” (“blwyddyn 10”) means a year group in which the majority of children will, in the school year, attain the age of 15;
“year group” (“grŵp blwyddyn”) means a group of children at a school the majority of whom will, in a particular school year, attain the same age.
Form and contentI33
Each plan must include provision dealing with the matters set out in the Schedule.
Duration of ten year plansI44
1
2
Each subsequent ten year plan has effect for the period of ten years commencing on 1 September in the year when the previous ten year plan expires.
3
Paragraphs (1) and (2) are subject to regulations 6 (ten year plans not approved by 1 September) and 8 (revision of plans).
Submission of ten year plans to the Welsh MinistersI55
1
A local authority must submit its first ten year plan to the Welsh Ministers for approval no later than F1031 January 2022.
2
A local authority must submit each subsequent ten year plan to the Welsh Ministers for approval no later than 31 March in the year the plan will take effect.
Ten year plans not approved by 1 SeptemberI66
1
If the Welsh Ministers do not approve a ten year plan by 1 September in the year in which that plan is to have effect, then that plan has effect one calendar month after the Welsh Ministers approve the plan.
2
Paragraph (1) does not affect the date on which the ten year plan will expire (as outlined under regulation 4), unless the plan is replaced by a revised plan in accordance with regulation 8.
Annual review reportI77
1
A local authority must each year, commencing in F112023, submit a review report to the Welsh Ministers which outlines the progress made to meet the targets contained in its plan and the steps it has taken as a result of the statements in its plan.
2
The first review report must be submitted to the Welsh Ministers no later than F1231 July 2023 and will outline the progress made and the steps taken by the local authority in the period since the first ten year plan has effect.
3
Subsequent review reports must be submitted to the Welsh Ministers at intervals not exceeding 12 months from the submission of the previous report and will outline the progress made and the steps taken by the local authority in the period since the submission of the previous report.
Revision of plansI88
1
During or following the preparation of the review report under regulation 7, if the local authority decides to revise its plan, it must submit the revised plan to the Welsh Ministers for approval no later than 6 calendar months after the review report has been submitted.
2
The plan which the revised plan replaces ceases to have effect one calendar month after approval of the revised plan.
3
The revised plan has effect one calendar month after approval of the revised plan and has effect for the remainder of the period for which the plan it replaces originally had effect.
Preparation and consultationI99
The persons prescribed for the purposes of section 84(4)(f) of the 2013 Act (persons a local authority must consult in preparing a ten year plan or revised plan F5) are——
a
the Welsh Language Commissioner (within the meaning of section 2 of the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 F6);
b
the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (within the meaning of section 119 of the 1998 Act);
c
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales;
d
providers of initial school teacher training;
e
such organisations providing services to children and young people as the local authority considers appropriate; and
f
such other persons or bodies as appear to the local authority to be appropriate.
Timing of publicationI1010
A local authority must publish its plan (or revised plan) on or before the date the plan takes effect.
Manner of publicationI1111
A local authority must publish its plan (or revised plan) by—
a
placing it on its website; and
b
making copies of the plan available for inspection by members of the public at—
i
each of its offices that are open to the public;
ii
any other place it considers appropriate.
Revocation and savingsI1212
1
Subject to paragraph (2), the Welsh in Education Strategic Plans and Assessing Demand for Welsh Medium Education (Wales) Regulations 2013 F7 are revoked.
2
A local authority's plan which has effect immediately prior to the coming into force of these Regulations will continue to have effect until the local authority's first ten year plan has effect.