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Education (Wales) Measure 2011

The Education (Wales) Measure 2011 (‘the Measure’) puts in place a series of powers and duties to make collaboration commonplace in the education system in order to improve school governance and to simplify the planning of school places in Wales. 

The Measure:

  • drives collaboration between local authorities, governing bodies of maintained schools and Further Education Institutions;
  • gives local authorities a power to establish a federation of schools;
  • trains school governors and to improve clerking of governing bodies; and
  • prevents schools in future from changing category so as to become foundation schools and to prevent new foundation schools being built.

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

Coming into force

Sections 26 to 34 came into force the end of the two month period following Royal Approval in accordance with section 33 (in other words on 10 July 2011).

The remaining provisions came into force in accordance with provision made by the Welsh Ministers by Order. The following Orders have been made:

Subordinate legislation made under the Measure

TitleCitation numberMade dateComing into forceSupporting documentation
The Government of Maintained Schools (Training Requirements for Governors) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 20212021 No. 367 (W. 112)19 Mawrth 202114 Ebrill 2021Explanatory Memorandum
The Education (Amendments Relating to Teacher Assessment Information) (Wales) Regulations 20182018 No. 766 (W. 153)26 June 201831 July 2018Explanatory Memorandum
The Government of Maintained Schools (Training Requirements for Governors) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 20162016 No. 137 (W. 66)3 February 20161 March 2016Explanatory Memorandum
The Government of Maintained Schools (Training Requirements for Governors) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 20142014 No. 2225 (W. 214)20 August 201419 September 2014Explanatory Memorandum
The Staffing of Maintained Schools (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 20142014 No. 1609 (W. 165)18 June 201416 July 2014Explanatory Memorandum
The Education (Small Schools) (Wales) Order 20142014 No. 1133 (W. 112)29 April 201422 May 2014Explanatory Memorandum
The Federation of Maintained Schools (Wales) Regulations 20142014 No. 1132 (W.111)29 April 201422 May 2014Explanatory Memorandum
The Government of Maintained Schools (Clerk to a Governing Body) (Wales) Regulations 20132013 No. 2127 (W. 208)23 August 201320 September 2013Explanatory Memorandum
The Government of Maintained Schools (Training Requirements for Governors) (Wales) Regulations 20132013 No. 2124 (W. 207)23 August 201320 September 2013Explanatory Memorandum
The Collaboration Between Education Bodies (Wales) Regulations 20122012 No. 2655 (W. 287)22 October 201216 November 2012Explanatory Memorandum

Consideration of the legislation by the Senedd

The Measure was introduced on 6 December 2010 by Leighton Andrews AM, Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning at the time. The Measure was passed by Senedd Cymru (known then as the National Assembly for Wales) on 29 March 2011.

More information about the Measure is available on the Senedd website including a record of the passage of the Measure through the Senedd and the Explanatory Memorandum which was prepared by the Welsh Government (to reflect the Measure as it had been amended after Stage 2 of consideration). 

The Measure received Royal Approval on 10 May 2011.

Published on
Last updated
09 May 2024