Catalogue description Records of the Curriculum Council for Wales and the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales

The Curriculum Council for Wales (CCW) was a statutory body established in August 1988 under the Education Reform Act 1988. Previous to this, curriculum matters in Wales were dealt with by specific Welsh sub-committees of the School Curriculum Development Committee, and by the Secondary Examinations Council. The CCW was financed by grant-in-aid provided by the Welsh Office.

The CCW was responsible for all aspects of the National Curriculum in Wales, covering age ranges from under-fives up to 16-19 years. Its functions were to advise the Secretary of State for Wales on all matters relating to the National Curriculum for Wales; to publish and disseminate information on curriculum matters to schools and other interested parties; and to advise and assist the Secretary of State in any programme of research into the national curriculum.

The Education Act 1993 required the CCW's name to be changed to Awdurdod Cwricwlwm ac Asesu Cymru (Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales), and this change took effect from April 1994. The Authority inherited all the functions of the Curriculum Council for Wales, which it replaced. In addition, it also became responsible for ensuring quality of the general and vocational qualifications, and to support the teaching of Welsh and other subjects through the medium of Welsh. Responsibility for the teaching of other subjects passed to the Authority in 1995. It was wound up in 1997, when its functions were taken over by the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales.

The Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales set up by the Education Act 1997. In additions to functions inherited from the Curriculum and Assessment Authority, it also took over responsibility for the accreditation of all vocational qualifications in Wales except for National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs). This function was shared with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, which reserved the right to make formal accreditation of NVQs.