The Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022 (Commencement No. 3) (England) Regulations 2025

Published: Tue 29th Jul 25

Department: Department for Education
Made under: Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022

Section 17 of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, concerning initial teacher training for further education in England, was brought into force on September 1st, 2025.

These regulations, made under the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, bring into force section 17 on September 1st, 2025.

This section empowers the Secretary of State to regulate and improve the quality of initial teacher training for further education in England.

The regulations are the third set issued under the Act, following previous commencements of other sections in 2022 and 2023.

Arguments For

Improved Teacher Training: The regulations aim to enhance the quality of initial teacher training for further education in England by giving the Secretary of State the power to set standards and implement improvements.
Meeting Skills Needs: Strengthening teacher training can align further education with evolving workforce demands and improve the overall quality of education.
Legal Authority: The regulations are enacted under the authority of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, providing a clear legal basis for the changes.
Phased Implementation: The implementation of the act's provisions is being carried out gradually with different sections coming into force at different times, allowing for measured effect and adaptation as needed.

Arguments Against

Regulatory Burden: New regulations could place an additional administrative burden on educational institutions, potentially diverting resources from other aspects of education.
Unintended Consequences: The exact impact of the regulations on teacher training and student outcomes may be uncertain, requiring monitoring and evaluation following implementation.
Resource Allocation: The implementation of required changes might demand increased funding or resources from already stretched educational budgets.
Alternative Approaches: Other methods to improve teacher training, such as grants or incentives, may have worked equally well with less regulatory control.

Citation These Regulations may be cited as the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022 (Commencement No. 3) (England) Regulations 2025.

This section establishes the official title of these regulations: the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022 (Commencement No. 3) (England) Regulations 2025.

This is how they will be referred to in legal and official contexts.

Provision coming into force on 1st September 2025 Section 17 of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022 (initial teacher training for further education) comes into force on 1st September 2025.

This section specifies the effective date for section 17 of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022—September 1st, 2025.

This section deals with initial teacher training for further education.

Explanatory Note (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations bring into force section 17 of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022 (c. 21) (“the Act”), on 1st September 2025. Section 17 of the Act provides a power for the Secretary of State to make regulations for the purpose of securing or improving the quality of courses of initial teacher training for further education provided by educational institutions in England. They are the third commencement regulations to be made under the Act.

The explanatory note provides background information, clarifying that these regulations activate section 17 of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, which concerns improving further education teacher training in England.

It also highlights that these are the third such commencement regulations issued under this Act.

NOTE AS TO EARLIER COMMENCEMENT Regulations (This note is not part of the Regulations) The following provisions of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022 (c. 21) have been brought into force by commencement Regulations made before the date of these Regulations.

| Provision | Date of Commencement | S.I. No. | |---|---|---| | Sections 6 to 13 | 30th September 2022 | 2022/965 (C. 73) | | Section 14 | 1st January 2023 | 2022/1349 (C. 107) |

This note lists prior commencement regulations enacted under the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022.

It shows the specific sections brought into force and their effective dates, providing context for the current regulations.

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