The Education (Local Curriculum for Pupils in Key Stage 4) (Wales) Regulations 2009

Minimum number of courses of study of local curricula

4.—(1) Subject to paragraph (4) the local curriculum for every maintained secondary school in local authority area A for the school year 2010 to 2011 and every subsequent school year must include a minimum of 30 courses of study at NQF level 2, of which at least 5 must be vocational.

(2) Subject to paragraph (4) the local curriculum for every maintained secondary school in local authority area B must include—

(a) for the school year 2010 to 2011 a minimum of 28 courses of study at NQF level 2, of which at least 4 must be vocational; and

(b) for every subsequent school year a minimum of 30 courses of study at NQF level 2, of which at least 5 must be vocational.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4) the local curriculum for every maintained secondary school in local authority area C must include—

(a) for the school year 2010 to 2011 a minimum of 26 courses of study at NQF level 2, of which at least 4 must be vocational;

(b) for the school year 2011 to 2012 a minimum of 28 courses of study at NQF level 2, of which at least 4 must be vocational; and

(c) for every subsequent school year a minimum of 30 courses of study at NQF level 2, of which at least 5 must be vocational.

(4) A local authority may include a course of study at NQF level 1 instead of a course at NQF level 2 in the local curriculum for a maintained secondary school in its area if the same course is not available at NQF level 2 for pupils in the fourth key stage.

(5) The minimum number of vocational courses of study required by paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) must fall within at least 3 of the learning domains.