Part 4E+WRegulation and inspection of independent educational provision in England

Chapter 1E+WIndependent educational institutions in England

IntroductoryE+W

92Independent educational institutionsE+W

(1)For the purposes of this Chapter, “an independent educational institution” means—

(a)an independent school, or

(b)an institution other than an independent school which—

(i)provides part-time education for one or more persons of compulsory school age (“part-time students”) whether or not it also provides full-time education for any person, and

(ii)would be an independent school but for the fact that the education provided for the part-time student or students is part-time rather than full-time.

(2)For the purposes of this section, an institution provides “part-time” education for a person if it provides education for the person—

(a)for at least 12.5 hours a week, for at least 28 weeks, during an academic year at the end of which the person is under the age of 12, or

(b)for at least 15 hours a week, for at least 28 weeks, during an academic year at the end of which the person is aged 12 or over,

which does not amount to full-time education.

(3)Regulations may—

(a)provide that a specified institution or an institution of a specified description is not an independent educational institution by virtue of subsection (1)(b);

(b)provide that time spent on a specified activity or on an activity of a specified description is or is not to be treated as time during which education is being provided for the purposes of this section;

(c)amend subsection (2)(a) or (b) so as to substitute a different number of weeks for the number of weeks for the time being mentioned there.

(4)In this section—

  • an academic year” means a period of 12 months ending with 31 August;

  • specified” means specified in regulations under this section.