Statutory Instruments
1999 No. 258

EDUCATION, ENGLAND AND WALES
The Education (Aptitude for Particular Subjects) Regulations 1999

Made
2nd February 1999

Laid before Parliament
5th February 1999

Coming into force
1st April 1999

In exercise of the power conferred upon the Secretary of State by section 102(1) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998(1), the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, as respects England, and the Secretary of State for Wales, as respects Wales, hereby make the following Regulations:

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Education (Aptitude for Particular Subjects) Regulations 1999 and shall come into force on 1st April 1999.

2.  The following subjects are prescribed for the purposes of section 102 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (permitted selection: aptitude for one or more particular subjects)–

Modern foreign languages, or any such language;

The performing arts, or any one or more of the performing arts;

The visual arts, or any one or more of the visual arts;

Physical education or sport, or one or more sports;

Design and technology;

Information technology.

Estelle Morris
Minister of State,
Department of Education and Employment
30th January 1999

Peter Hain
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Welsh Office
2nd February 1999

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)
Section 99(3) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 provides that the admission arrangements for a maintained school may not make provision for selecting pupils by reference to aptitude unless the provision is for a permitted form of selection. Section 102 of the Act permits selection of pupils by reference to their aptitude for one or more particular subjects (to be prescribed by regulations) in which the school specialises. Such selection is permitted only if the proportion of pupils selected by reference to such an aptitude does not exceed a limit of 10% of those admitted to the school in the age group concerned.
These Regulations prescribe the subjects to which section 102 is to apply. They are: modern foreign languages, the performing arts, the visual arts, physical education or sport, design and technology, and information technology.

(1)
1998 c. 31; see section 142(1) for the meaning of “prescribed”.