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Education (Wales) Act 2014

The Education (Wales) Act 2014 (‘the Act’) makes provision for:

  • the reform of the General Teaching Council for Wales and its renaming as the Education Workforce Council;
  • the registration of certain persons who educate children and young people;
  • the regulation of registered persons, including—
    • the obligation of registered persons to comply with a code specifying the standards of professional conduct and practice;
    • the action that can be taken against a registered person;
  • the sharing of information about registered persons.
  • the fixing of term and holiday dates for schools in Wales;
  • the times of school sessions;
  • the appointment of persons to His Majesty's Inspectorate of Education in Wales;
  • education functions of local authorities which, by virtue of section 25 or 26 of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013, are to be treated for all purposes as exercisable by persons directed by the Welsh Ministers.

The Explanatory Notes to the Act provide detailed commentary on the various provisions.

Coming into force:

Sections 1, 45 to 47 and 49 to 51 came into force on 12 May 2014, which is the day the Act received Royal Assent, in accordance with section 50(1).

Section 42 also came into force on the day the Act received Royal Assent, but only in accordance with section 50(2).

Paragraph 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 3 came into force at the end of the period of two months beginning with the day on which this Act received Royal Assent.

The remaining provisions of this Act come into force on a day appointed by the Welsh Ministers in an order made by statutory instrument. The following Orders have been made:

 

Subordinate legislation made under the Act:

TitleCitation numberMade dateComing into force dateSupporting documents
The Education Workforce Council (Additional Categories of Registration and Further Education Teacher Qualifications) (Wales) Order 20242024 No. 613 (W. 87)8 May 202410 May 2024Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Main Functions) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 20242024 No. 74 (W. 21)23 January 20241 March 2024Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Additional Categories of Registration) (Wales) Order 20232023 No. 551 (W. 86)17 May 202322 May 2023Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Main Functions) (Wales) (Amendments Relating to Parental Bereavement Leave and Shared Parental Leave) Regulations 20232023 No. 378 (W. 58)28 March 202326 May 2023Explanatory Memorandum
The Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 20222022 No. 1058 (W. 223)12 October 20227 November 2022Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Interim Suspension Orders) (Additional Functions) (Wales) Order 20212021 No.350 (W. 102)17 March 20211 April 2021Explanatory Memorandum
The Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (Wales) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 20202020 No. 623 (W. 143)22 June 202015 July 2020Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Membership and Appointment) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 20182018 No. 62 (W. 169)17 July 20189 August 2018Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Accreditation of Initial Teacher Training) (Additional Functions) (Wales) (Amendment) Order 20172017 No. 1023 (W. 261)25 October 20171 November 2017Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Accreditation of Initial Teacher Training) (Wales) Regulations 20172017 No. 165 (W. 46)15 February 201710 March 2017Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Accreditation of Initial Teacher Training) (Additional Functions) (Wales) Order 20172017 No. 154 (W. 45)14 February 201716 February 2016Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Registration Fees) Regulations 20172017 No. 92 (W. 34)31 January 2017 1 February 2017, except article 2, which comes into force on 1 April 2017Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Registration of Youth Workers, Youth Support Workers and Work Based Learning Practitioners) Order 20162016 No. 1183 (W. 288)7 December 20161 March 2017, except articles 4, 6 and 7 which come into force on 1 April 2017Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Registration Fees) (Wales) Regulations 20162016 No. 27 (W. 9)13 January 20161 February 2016, expect article 2 which comes into force on 1 April 2016Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Main Functions) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 20162016 No. 6 (W. 4)6 January 20161 April 2016Explanatory Memorandum
The Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (Wales) Regulations 20152015 No. 484 (W. 41)3 March 20151 April 2015Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Additional Functions and Revocation) (Wales) Order 20152015 No. 194 (W. 9)10 February 20151 April 2015Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Registration Fees) (Wales) Regulations 20152015 No. 195 (W. 10)10 February 20151 April 2015Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Main Functions) (Wales) Regulations 20152015 No. 140 (W. 8)3 February 20151 April 2015Explanatory Memorandum
The Education Workforce Council (Membership and Appointment) (Wales) Regulations 20142014 No. 2365 (W. 229)3 September 201429 September 2014, expect for regulation 2, which comes into force on 1 April 2015Explanatory Memorandum

Consideration of the legislation by the Senedd:

The Bill was introduced on 1 July 2013 by Huw Lewis AM, who was the Minister for Education and Skills at the time. The Bill was passed by Senedd Cymru (known then as the National Assembly for Wales) on 25 March 2014.

More information about the Bill is available on the Senedd’s website, including a record of the passage of the Bill through the Senedd and the Explanatory Memorandum that was prepared by the Welsh Government (as amended at Stage 2). 

The Act received Royal Assent on 12 May 2014.

Published on
Last updated
23 May 2024