The Education (Fast Track Bursaries and Grants) (England) Regulations 2001

Statutory Instruments

2001 No. 3071

EDUCATION, ENGLAND

The Education (Fast Track Bursaries and Grants) (England) Regulations 2001

Made

7th September 2001

Laid before Parliament

10th September 2001

Coming into force

1st October 2001

In exercise of the powers conferred on the Secretary of State by sections 50 and 63(3) of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986(1), the Secretary of State for Education and Skills hereby makes the following Regulations:

PART I General

Citation, commencement and application

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Education (Fast Track Bursaries and Grants) (England) Regulations 2001 and shall come into force on 1st October 2001.

(2) These Regulations shall apply in relation to England.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these Regulations—

“authority” means a local education authority;

“Fast Track initial teacher training course” means a course of initial teacher training for the Post-Graduate Certificate in Education, approved by the Secretary of State for the purposes of the Fast Track Teaching Programme;

“Fast Track teaching post” means employment as a qualified teacher in a post approved by or on behalf of the Secretary of State for the purposes of the Fast Track Teaching Programme;

“Fast Track Teaching Programme” means a programme of teacher training and career development for those assessed under arrangements made by the Secretary of State as meeting a high standard in the competencies and possessing a high degree of commitment to the values set down by the Secretary of State;

“governing body” in relation to an institution conducted by a company shall be construed in accordance with any order under section 4(3) of the Education Act 1994(2);

“grant” means a payment of money made in pursuance of these Regulations to the governing body of an institution providing a Fast Track initial teacher training course;

“institution” means an eligible institution within the meaning of section 4(2) of the Education Act 1994;

“qualified teacher” has the same meaning as in section 218(2) of the Education Reform Act 1988(3); and

“a bursary” means a payment of money made in pursuance of these Regulations to a person on a Fast Track initial teacher training course.

(2) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to a numbered regulation is a reference to the regulation bearing that number in these Regulations, any reference to a numbered paragraph is a reference to the paragraph of the regulation bearing that number, any reference in a paragraph to a sub-paragraph is a reference to a sub-paragraph of that paragraph and any reference to a Schedule, is to the Schedule.

Provision of bursaries and grants

3.—(1) The Secretary of State may pay—

(a) a bursary to a person to facilitate and encourage his training as a teacher on a Fast Track initial teacher training course, and

(b) a grant to the governing body of an institution to facilitate and encourage the training of persons as teachers on a Fast Track initial teacher training course provided by that institution,

in accordance with the following provisions of these Regulations.

(2) Bursaries and grants, as the case may be, shall not exceed such amounts as the Secretary of State may determine.

(3) Bursaries and grants, as the case may be, shall be paid in such manner and at such times as the Secretary of State may determine.

PART II Bursaries for Persons Undertaking a Fast Track Initial Teacher Training Course.

4.—(1) A bursary under regulation 3(1)(a) shall not be paid to a person unless—

(a) he has accepted an offer of a place on the Fast Track Teaching Programme by or on behalf of the Secretary of State;

(b) he has accepted an offer of a place on a Fast Track initial teacher training course by a course provider;

(c) he has commenced a Fast Track initial teacher training course; and

(d) he has been granted an award or grant from an authority in England or Wales, or from an equivalent body exercising the functions of an authority elsewhere in the United Kingdom and Islands, in respect of his tuition fees for the Fast Track initial teacher training course mentioned in sub-paragraph (c).

(2) No bursary shall be paid under regulation 3(1)(a) to a person who has previously received a bursary by virtue of these Regulations.

(3) Bursaries under regulation 3(1)(a) may be paid in a lump sum or in such instalments and at such times as the Secretary of State may determine and the Secretary of State may in particular determine that instalments shall be payable on a date or dates which are after the person has commenced work in a Fast Track teaching post.

Repayment of bursaries

5.—(1) Where in the opinion of the Secretary of State any information or assumption on the basis of which a bursary has been paid is incorrect, the person to whom the bursary was paid shall at the request of the Secretary of State repay such sum, not exceeding the total bursary paid, as the Secretary of State may determine.

(2) The Secretary of State may determine that all or part of the bursary paid under regulation 3(1)(a) shall be repayable if the person receiving the bursary—

(a) fails to complete a Fast Track initial teacher training course;

(b) fails to qualify as a teacher in accordance with the Education (Teacher’s Qualifications and Health Standards) (England) Regulations 1999(4);

(c) leaves the Fast Track Teaching Programme before the completion of his initial teacher training course;

(d) fails to commence work in a Fast Track teaching post within 15 calendar months of completing a Fast Track initial teacher training course;

(e) leaves the Fast Track Teaching Programme within 12 calendar months of the date on which he commenced work in a Fast Track teaching post; or

(f) fails to complete his induction year required by Regulations made under the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998(5) within 12 calendar months of the date on which he commenced his induction year;

unless it appears to the Secretary of State having regard to the particular circumstances that it would be unreasonable or inappropriate to do so.

PART III Grants to Fast Track initial teacher training course providers

6.—(1) The making of a payment under regulation 3(1)(b) shall be dependent on the fulfilment of such conditions as may be determined by the Secretary of State.

(2) Grants under regulation 3(1)(b) may be paid in a lump sum or in such instalments and at such times as the Secretary of State may determine.

(3) Grants under regulation 3(1)(b) may be paid to the governing body of an institution by the Secretary of State in respect of expenditure approved by the Secretary of State for the purposes of a Fast Track initial teacher training course.

(4) Grants under regulation 3(1)(b) may be paid to the governing body of an institution by the Secretary of State in respect of expenditure incurred or to be incurred or commitments entered into for the purposes of a Fast Track initial teacher training course.

(5) Where in the opinion of the Secretary of State any information or assumption on the basis of which a grant under regulation 3(1)(b) has been paid is incorrect, the governing body to whom the grant was paid shall at the request of the Secretary of State repay such sums not exceeding the total grant paid as the Secretary of State may determine.

Catherine Ashton

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State,

Department for Education and Skills

7th September 2001

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which apply only in relation to England, authorise the Secretary of State to make payments to—

(i) persons undertaking Fast Track initial teacher training courses, and

(ii) Fast Track initial teacher training course providers,

by way of bursaries and grants, respectively, in order to facilitate and encourage the training of teachers on the Fast Track Teaching Programme.

The Fast Track Teaching Programme is a programme of teacher training and career development for those assessed under arrangements made by the Secretary of State as meeting a high standard in the competencies and possessing a high degree of commitment to the values set down by the Secretary of State. Fast Track initial teacher training courses are initial teacher training courses approved by the Secretary of State for the purposes of the Fast Track Teaching Programme.

(1)

1986 c. 61; section 50 was amended by section 278(6) of, and paragraph 102 of Schedule 19 to, the Education Act 1993 (c. 35) and section 13 of the Education Act 1994 (c. 30). Section 278 of and Schedule 19 to the Education Act 1993 continue in force by virtue of paragraph 65 of Schedule 37 to the Education Act 1996 (c. 56). Section 63(3) was amended by paragraph 107(a) of Schedule 19 to the Education Act 1993. By virtue of the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/672) the powers conferred by section 50 are exercisable by the Secretary of State only in relation to England.

(2)

1994 c. 30.

(3)

1988 c. 40.

(4)

S.I. 1999/2166 as amended by S.I. 2000/2704, 2001/1209, 2001/1391 and 2001/2896.

(5)

1998 c. 30; the relevant Regulations are The Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (Consolidation) (England) Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/2897).