Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Education (School Teacher Appraisal) Regulations 1991 to take account of changes to the framework for schools brought about by the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (“the 1998 Act”) and the consequential amendment of section 49 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986, under which the regulations are made, by the 1998 Act. From 1st April 1999, grant-maintained and grant-maintained special schools are maintained by local education authorities. All maintained schools, including grant-maintained and grant-maintained special schools, will enter their new categories on 1st September 1999, the appointed day for this purpose under the 1998 Act.

The local education authority will be the appraising body in relation to teachers at all maintained schools other than former grant-maintained and grant-maintained special schools. The governing body will continue to be the appraising body for former grant-maintained and grant-maintained special schools. The Regulations continue to apply to former grant-maintained and grant-maintained special schools as they applied before the school category changes.

The Regulations also make amendments to take account of the abolition of probation for newly qualified teachers. The definition of “qualified teacher” is amended because the Education (Teachers) Regulations 1989 (S.I. 1989/1319), to which the definition referred, have been revoked and replaced.