The Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (Wales) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (Wales) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/484 (W. 41)) (“the 2015 Regulations”). The 2015 Regulations, together with sections 17 and 19 of the Education (Wales) Act 2014 (“the 2014 Act”), deal with the requirements for school teachers to undertake a period of induction.

Regulations 3 and 4 provide that regulations 5 to 9 will continue to have effect following the expiry of these Regulations in prescribed, limited circumstances. Otherwise, as provided for by in regulation 2, these Regulations will expire on 31 August 2021.

The Welsh Ministers will be required to review the effectiveness of these Regulations during the period they have effect (regulation 2).

These Regulations amend the 2015 regulations in two ways:

(1)

They allow the appropriate body to reduce the induction period which the person is required to serve to a minimum of 110 school sessions provided the person consents (see regulation 8). The person will still be required to achieve the standards mentioned in section 18 of the 2014 Act.

(2)

Regulation 8(d) inserts a new regulation 8(6) and 8(7) into the 2015 Regulations. These regulations allow sessions of professional learning to count towards a person’s induction period, provided those sessions meet the conditions set out in new regulation 7A (see regulation 7). These professional learning sessions must not exceed 16% of the total length of the induction period.

These Regulations are considered necessary as newly qualified teachers may not have been able to attend a school in order to complete their induction period due to spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wales.

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 as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations has been undertaken and a copy can be obtained from the Pedagogy, Professional Standards and A level branch, the Pedagogy, Leadership and Professional Learning Division, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ or [e-mail].