The Inspection of Education and Training (Wales) Regulations 2026

Made: 4 March 2026

Coming into force: 1 April 2026

The Welsh Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred on them by sections 57(4), 63(9)(b), 143(2) and 146(1)(a) and (2) of the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022[^f00001].

In accordance with section 57(5) of that Act, the Welsh Ministers have consulted the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research and His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales.

Title, coming into force and interpretation

1

• (1) The title of these Regulations is the Inspection of Education and Training (Wales) Regulations 2026.

• (2) These Regulations come into force on 1 April 2026.

• (3) In these Regulations, “the 2022 Act” means the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022.

Inspection intervals

2

In Table 1, Column 2 specifies, for the purposes of section 57(4)(a) of the 2022 Act, the interval at which inspections (except inspections under section 57(1)(d) of the 2022 Act) must be conducted in relation to the corresponding circumstance specified in Column 1.

Inspection reports

3

For the purposes of sections 57(4)(b) and 63(9)(b) of the 2022 Act—

• (a) a report under section 57(3) of the 2022 Act is to be made, and

• (b) a report under section 63(8) of the 2022 Act is to be published,

before the end of the period of 35 working days[^f00003] beginning with the working day after the day on which the inspection is completed.

Revocations

4

The instruments listed in column (1) of Table 2 are revoked to the extent indicated in column (3) of Table 2.

Signed

Vikki Howells — Minister for Further and Higher Education under authority of the Cabinet Secretary for Education, one of the Welsh Ministers — 4 March 2026

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These Regulations revoke and replace the Inspection of Education and Training (Wales) Regulations 2001, which were made under Part 4 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000.

Under Chapter 2 of Part 2 of the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022 (“the 2022 Act”), His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales must carry out inspections in respect of specific education and training and may also carry out area inspections. These Regulations make provision about both forms of inspection.

Regulation 1 sets out the date on which these Regulations come into force and defines the 2022 Act.

Regulation 2 specifies the intervals at which inspections of specific education and training are required to be carried out.

Regulation 3 specifies the period within which inspection reports for both inspections of specific education and training and area inspections are required to be made and published respectively.

Regulation 4 revokes Regulations concerning the inspection of education and training made under the Learning and Skills Act 2000.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained from the Tertiary Education Directorate, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2022 asc 1.

[^f00002]: 2000 c. 21.

[^f00003]: See paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Legislation (Wales) Act 2019 (anaw 4) for the definition of “working day”.

[^f00004]: Amended by S.I. 2004/783 (W. 80), S.I. 2005/3238 (W. 243), S.I. 2010/1142 (W. 101), S.I. 2010/1436 (W. 127), S.I. 2014/1212 (W. 128), S.I. 2016/135 (W. 65) and S.I. 2020/37 (W. 4).

[^f00005]: There are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.

[^f00006]: There are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.

[^f00007]: There are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.