{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-act-1996/section-15A",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-act-1996/section-15A.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1996/56",
  "legislation_title": "Education Act 1996",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-act-1996",
  "path": "section/15A",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "15A",
  "heading": "Powers in respect of education and training for 16 to 18 year olds.",
  "text": "(1) A local authority in Wales may secure the provision for their area of full-time or part-time education suitable to the requirements of persons over compulsory school age who have not attained the age of 19, including provision for persons from other areas.\n(1ZA) A local authority in England may secure the provision for their area of full-time or part-time education suitable to the requirements of persons from other areas who are over compulsory school age but have not attained the age of 19.\n(1A) The power under subsections (1) and (1ZA) to secure the provision of education includes power to secure the provision—\n(a) of training, including vocational, social, physical and recreational training, and\n(b) of organised leisure time occupation (within the meaning of section 2(6)) which is provided in connection with the provision of education or of training within paragraph (a).\n(2) Subsections (6) and (7) of section 14 shall apply in relation to functions under this section in respect of secondary education as they apply in relation to functions under that section.\n(3) In exercising their functions under this section in respect of further education—\n(a) a local authority in England must in particular have regard to the needs of persons with learning difficulties or disabilities (within the meaning of section 15ZA(6) and (7));\n(b) a local authority in Wales must in particular have regard to the needs of persons with learning difficulties (within the meaning of section 41(5) and (6) of the Learning and Skills Act 2000) additional learning needs.\n(3A) In exercising its functions under this section a local authority in Wales must also have regard to the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research’s strategic plan approved under section 15 of the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022.\n(4) A local authority may do anything which appears to them to be necessary or expedient for the purposes of or in connection with the exercise of their functions under this section.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 15A inserted (1.9.1999) by 1998 c. 31, s. 140(1), Sch. 30 para. 63 (with ss. 138(9), 144(6)); S.I. 1999/2323, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 (with savings in Sch. 7 paras. 2-4, 6, 7, 10, 12)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in Act substituted (5.5.2010) by The Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1158), Sch. 2 para. 7(2) (with Sch. 2 para. 7(4)(5))"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 15A(1) inserted (1.4.2010) by Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (c. 22), s. 269(4), Sch. 2 para. 4(2); S.I. 2010/303, art. 3, Sch. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 15A(1) inserted (28.7.2000 for certain purposes otherwise 1.4.2001) by 2000 c. 21, ss. 149, 154(5), Sch. 9 para. 54(2) (with s. 150); S.I. 2001/654, art. 2(2), Sch. Pt. II (with art. 3); S.I. 2001/1274, art. 2(1), Sch. Pt. I"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "S. 15A(1ZA) inserted (1.4.2010) by Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (c. 22), s. 269(4), Sch. 2 para. 4(3); S.I. 2010/303, art. 3, Sch. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "S. 15A(1A) inserted (28.7.2000 for certain purposes otherwise 1.4.2001) by 2000 c. 21, ss. 149, 154(5), Sch. 9 para. 54(3) (with s. 150) S.I. 2001/654, art. 2(2), Sch. Pt. II (with art. 3); S.I. 2001/1274, art. 2(1), Sch. Pt. I"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 15A(1A) substituted (1.4.2010) by Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (c. 22), s. 269(4), Sch. 2 para. 4(4); S.I. 2010/303, art. 3, Sch. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "S. 15A(3)(4) inserted (28.7.2000 for certain purposes otherwise 1.4.2001) by 2000 c. 21, ss. 149, 154(5), Sch. 9 para. 54(5) (with s. 150) S.I. 2001/654, art. 2(2), Sch. Pt. II (with art. 3); S.I. 2001/1274, art. 2(1), Sch. Pt. I"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "S. 15A(3)(a)(b) substituted for words (1.9.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), s. 139(6), Sch. 3 para. 6; S.I. 2014/889, art. 7(a) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2014/2270 (as amended (1.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/505)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in s. 15A(3)(b) substituted (1.9.2021 for specified purposes, 1.1.2022 for specified purposes, 1.9.2022 for specified purposes, 1.9.2025 for specified purposes) by Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 (anaw 2), s. 100(3), Sch. 1 para. 4(4); S.I. 2021/373, arts. 3, 4, 6, 7 (as amended by S.I. 2021/938, art. 2); S.I. 2021/1243, art. 3 (with arts. 4-23) (as amended by S.I. 2021/1428, art. 2); S.I. 2021/1244, art. 3 (with arts. 4-21) (as amended by S.I. 2021/1428, art. 3); S.I. 2021/1245, arts. 3, 4 (with art. 1(4)); S.I. 2022/891, art. 3 (with arts. 4-25); S.I. 2022/892, arts. 2, 3 (with arts. 4-18); S.I. 2022/893, arts. 2, 4; S.I. 2022/894, art. 3; S.I. 2022/895, arts. 3, 4; S.I. 2022/896, art. 3 (with arts. 1(7), 4-22); S.I. 2022/897, art. 3 (with arts. 1(8), 4-21); S.I. 2022/898, arts. 2, 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "S. 15A(3A) inserted (1.8.2024) by Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022 (asc 1), s. 148(2), Sch. 4 para. 8(3) (with s. 19); S.I. 2024/806, art. 2(k)(vi) (with art. 28)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Words in s. 15A title substituted (1.4.2010) by Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (c. 22), s. 269(4), Sch. 2 para. 4(6); S.I. 2010/303, art. 3, Sch. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 15A restricted (1.4.2001 (W.) and 1.8.2002 (E.)) by 2000 c. 21, s. 110(4) (with s. 150); S.I. 2001/1274, art. 2(1), Sch. Pt. I; S.I. 2002/279, art. 2(3)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 15A functions made exercisable concurrently (23.12.2016) by The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1267), arts. 1(2), 12(1)(c)(2)(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "S. 15A: functions made exercisable concurrently (28.7.2020) by The Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/806), arts. 1, 5(1)(2)(c)(3)-(5)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C4",
      "text": "Words in s. 15A(2) inserted (28.7.2000 for certain purposes otherwise 1.4.2001) by 2000 c. 21, ss. 149, 154(5), Sch. 9 para. 54(4) (with s. 150); S.I. 2001/654, art. 2(2), Sch. Pt. II (with art. 3); S.I. 2001/1274, art. 2(1), Sch. Pt. I"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/56/section/15A",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:29:40.627017+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}