The Education (External Qualifications) (Description of Tests) (Wales) Regulations 2001

Welsh Statutory Instruments

2001 No. 3901 (W.319)

EDUCATION, WALES

The Education (External Qualifications) (Description of Tests) (Wales) Regulations 2001

Made

4th December 2001

Coming into force

31st December 2001

The National Assembly for Wales makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 24(2) (gg) and 54 (3) and (4) of the Education Act 1997(1) and now vested in the National Assembly for Wales(2).

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations are called the Education (External Qualifications) (Description of Tests) (Wales) Regulations 2001 and shall come into force on 31st December 2001.

Interpretation

2.  In these Regulations—

• “the 1997 Act” (“Deddf 1997”) means the Education Act 1997; and

• “ACCAC” (“ACCAC”) means the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales(3).

Description of tests and tasks

3.  The tests and tasks which ACCAC may develop, set or administer are tests and tasks in English and Welsh mediums, that will form part of the assessment of competence in—

(a) basic literacy and numeracy skills; and

(b) communication, application of number and information technology key skills,

of those to whom the tests or tasks are administered.

Signed on behalf of the National Assembly for Wales under section 66(1) of the Government of Wales Act 1998(4)

John Marek

The Deputy Presiding Officer of the Assembly

4th December 2001

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Under section 24(2)(gg) of the Education Act 1997 (as applied to the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales by the Education (Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales) (Conferment of Function) Order 2001) the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales (“ACCAC”) has the function of making arrangements for the development, setting or administration of tests or tasks which fall to be undertaken with a view to obtaining external qualifications and which fall within a description specified in regulations.

These Regulations describe the tests and tasks which ACCAC may develop, set or administer.

These are tests and tasks, through English and Welsh mediums, that will form part of the assessment of competence in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy and in the key skills of communication, application of number and information technology.

(1)

1997 c. 44. A new paragraph (gg) extending the powers of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is inserted in subsection (2) of section 24 of that Act by subsection (2) of section 103 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 (c. 21) (“the 2000 Act”). Section 30(2) of the 1997 Act is amended by section 103(3) of the 2000 Act to include reference to the new section 24(2)(gg) of the 1997 Act, thereby extending the powers of the Secretary of State to confer functions of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority on the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales. See also the Education (Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales) (Conferment of Function) Order 2001 (S.I. 3907/320) which confers on ACCAC the function contained in section 24(2)(gg). For the meaning of “prescribed” in section 24(2)(gg) see section 56(1).

(2)

See the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/672) and section 150 of the 2000 Act.

(3)

The Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales was established by section 14(1)(b) of the Education Reform Act 1988 (c. 40), continued in existence by section 360 of the Education Act 1996 (c. 56) and given its current name by section 27(1) of the Education Act 1997.

(4)

1998 c. 38