The Inspection of the Careers and Related Services (Wales) Regulations 2006

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Sections 55 — 57 of the Education Act 2005 make provision for the inspection of the careers and related services in Wales by the Chief Inspector for Education and Training in Wales (Estyn). These services are currently provided by a number of companies limited by guarantee, collectively operating as Careers Wales. The 2005 Act provisions replace provisions formerly contained in the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998. The inspection requirements are tightened and brought more into step with those applying to schools. Sections 55 — 57 provide a framework, leaving the details to be prescribed in regulations made by the National Assembly for Wales. These Regulations prescribe those details.

Regulation 2 defines terms used in the Regulations.

Regulation 3 deals with first inspections. A provider of careers or associated services which has not previously been inspected must be inspected within the period of six years from the date when it first became a provider.

Regulation 4 provides that existing providers are to be inspected at six year intervals. Regulation 5 requires an inspection report to be prepared within seventy working days from completion of the inspection.

Regulation 6 requires an action plan (as described in that regulation) to be prepared following an inspection.

Regulation 7 requires the action plan to be prepared within the period of fifty working days from the date on which the provider received a copy of the inspection report.

Regulations 8 and 9 provide for copies of reports and action plans to be sent to specified persons, and for their publication at the offices of the provider and on the internet.