Wales : Organisation/control of education system
Last updated: 03-May-2005
2.1.3 Private sector education
In general, private education is that which is provided in institutions which are largely privately-funded, receiving most of their income from tuition fees. There is private provision at all levels of education in Wales.
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Pre-compulsory
Private provision at this stage may take the form of day nurseries, (pre-school) play-groups, privately-run nursery schools, and nursery classes in
independent schools.
Independent schools must be registered with the
National Assembly for Wales (
NAfW). Under the Children Act 1989,
12 private nursery schools and day nurseries must also be registered with the Social Services Department of the local authority.
45 The division between public and private provision at this level of education has recently become less distinct, as a result of government policy to expand and develop publicly-funded early years education, by cooperation with the private and voluntary sectors.
45 Although private day nurseries and private schools are largely funded by parental fees, as a result of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998,
3 local education authority (
LEA) funding is available to all providers (in the voluntary, private and maintained sectors) named in
LEA Early Years Development and Childcare Plans as belonging to an Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership, and as ensuring provision for 3- and 4-year-old children.
45,
62 See sections
2.1.1 and
2.1.2 in addition. Playgroups are also largely funded by parental fees, although some receive public subsidy via the local authority.
85 See section
2.1.2 in addition.
Primary and secondary
Private sector schools in Wales are generally known as
independent schools and, in addition to fees paid by parents may, in some cases, also be funded by donations and grants received from benefactors.
45 A private or
independent school is "any school at which full-time education is provided for five or more children of compulsory school age (5 to 16 years) (whether or not such education is also provided for children over or under that age)", and which is not maintained by a
local education authority (
LEA).
6 (
Voluntary schools, which are set up and, in many cases, owned by a voluntary body, usually a church body, are considered to be
maintained schools rather than independent/private schools, since they are publicly-funded and may not charge tuition fees.)
45Independent schools must be registered with
National Assembly for Wales (
NAfW). Those with approval, under the Education Act 1996
6, to admit children with
statements of special educational needs, without the prior consent of the
NafW, are subject to school inspections, in accordance with the School Inspections Act 1996.
7 Reports of such inspections are made public. Other
independent schools are subject to regular monitoring visits. Where an aspect of education provision is deemed to be unsatisfactory, improvements must be made and a school which fails to meet the required standards may be deleted from the register of
independent schools.
45 The curriculum of
independent schools is the responsibility of the headteacher and governors of the school and, although
independent schools must have regard to the National Curriculum requirements (see sections
5.2.1 and
5.3.1), they are not required to implement these fully. However, the curriculum is one of the major aspects considered in a school inspection and both the range and the depth of the curriculum offered must be appropriate for the age, aptitude, ability and
special educational needs (
SEN) of the children in the school.
45
Post-compulsory
There are a number of independent institutions which offer post-compulsory education (for students aged 16+). For the most part, these institutions offer an academic education leading to
General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (
GCE 'A' Level) and
General Certificate of Education (
GCE)
Advanced Subsidiary qualifications (commonly known as
GCE 'AS' Levels). There are also a number of specialist institutions, such as secretarial and business colleges and art colleges. Tutorial colleges train students for a particular examination, usually by means of courses of short duration.
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