Regulation 2 Interpretation

In these Regulations—

• “the 2002 Act” means the Education Act 2002^f1;

• “approved qualification” means an external qualification at entry level, level 1 or level 2 or a GCE AS level, which is approved under section 98 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 and which is appropriate for pupils of compulsory school age;

• “entry level”, “level 1” and “level 2” mean entry level, level 1 and level 2 respectively as set out in the National Qualifications Framework and determined by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority^f2;

• “GCE AS level” means General Certificate of Education Advanced Subsidiary Level;

• “GCSE” means General Certificate of Secondary Education;

• “level 4” means level 4 of the National Curriculum level scale as determined by the results of NC tests;

• “level 5” means level 5 of the National Curriculum level scale as determined by the results of NC tests or, where paragraph 2(1)(d) of the Schedule applies, by teacher assessment;

• “maintained school” means a community, foundation or voluntary school or a community or foundation special school;

• “NC tests” means National Curriculum tests administered to second key stage pupils for the purpose of assessing the level of attainment which they have achieved in English or mathematics or to third key stage pupils for the purpose of assessing the level of attainment which they have achieved in English, mathematics, science or information and communication technology, being tests laid down in provisions made by the Secretary of State under the appropriate order made under section 87(3) of the 2002 Act in force when those tests are administered;

• “second key stage pupils” means pupils who are in the second key stage referred to in section 82(1)(b) of the 2002 Act;

• “teacher assessment” means assessment by a teacher, made in accordance with the Education (National Curriculum) (Key Stage 3 Assessment Arrangements) (England) Order 2003^f3; and

• “third key stage pupils” means pupils who are in the third key stage referred to in section 82(1)(c) of the 2002 Act.

Any reference in these Regulations to a pupil being awarded an approved qualification by the end of any school year is a reference to that pupil achieving or being awarded that qualification in the school year in which he—

irrespective of whether the decision to award the qualification is made in a later school year.