Written - Learning and Skills (Wales) Measure 2008

Members will wish to note that the proposed Learning and Skills (Wales) Measure 2008 will be laid today, 7 July 2008. I will be making a Legislative Statement in Plenary tomorrow, 8 July 2008, to introduce the Measure.

The proposed Measure will provide a legislative underpinning for the Welsh Assembly Government’s flagship programme, 14-19 Learning Pathways and it seeks to support the development of our young people by creating an entitlement for learners aged between 14 and 19 years old to access a wider and more innovative range of curriculum choice. By offering a wider range of opportunities, which will engage and stimulate learners, we aim to encourage greater participation, achievement and attainment, helping our young people to realise their potential.


The Measure:

• places a duty on Local Education Authorities in Wales to form local curricula for learners aged 14-16, and on the Welsh Ministers for learners aged 16-19 that contains a range of option choices across the specified learning domains;
• enables Welsh Ministers to specify the minimum number of courses of study to be selected for inclusion within a local curriculum, specify the particular learning domain into which a course of study falls and specify the minimum number of vocational courses of study to be included in a local curriculum;
• creates a right for pupils of Maintained Schools to elect to follow courses of study from a local area curriculum. It will also enable regulations to specify the maximum amount of courses of study a pupil has the right to choose to elect to follow;
• specifies the grounds by which a Head Teacher/Principal may decide that a pupil is not entitled to follow a course they had elected to do and enable regulations to be made in relation to the making of those decisions;
• places a duty on Governing Bodies and Head Teachers of Maintained Schools and Governing Bodies and Principals of the Further Education sector to assist a Local Education Authority in planning local area curricula, having regard to any guidance issued and in compliance with any directions given by Welsh Ministers;
• provides for maximising co-operation between Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools and Further Education Institutions, and Local Education Authorities to deliver a wide range of options of study in their local area curricula;
• enables Welsh Ministers to issue guidance and directions in relation to joint working, co-operation and collaboration;
• gives Welsh Ministers the power to amend learning domains;
• enables Welsh Ministers to make regulations as to the making of requests and decisions in the determination of a pupil’s lead learning setting.