1(1)Section 23 of the Education Act 1997 (c. 44) (functions of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in relation to curriculum and assessment) is amended as follows.
(2)In subsection (1) for the words from “with respect to” to the end there is substituted “with respect to—
(a)pupils at maintained schools in England who have not ceased to be of compulsory school age,
(b)pupils at maintained nursery schools in England, and
(c)children for whom funded nursery education is provided in England otherwise than at a maintained school or maintained nursery school.”
(3)In subsection (2)—
(a)in paragraph (a), for “such schools” there is substituted “ maintained schools or maintained nursery schools ”, and
(b)paragraph (f) and the word “and” immediately preceding it are omitted.
(4)After subsection (2) there is inserted—
“(2A)In subsection (2) references to the curriculum for a maintained nursery school include references to the curriculum for any funded nursery education provided as mentioned in subsection (1)(c); and references to assessment in schools include references to assessment in funded nursery education.”
(5)Subsections (3) and (4) are omitted.
(6)In subsection (5), after “test;” there is inserted—
““funded nursery education” has the meaning given by section 77 of the Education Act 2002;”.