Medr’s role in school sixth form reorganisation

From 1 April 2026 any proposal to establish, close, or significantly alter school sixth form provision in Wales’s maintained schools must be submitted to Medr for consideration and consultation.

Medr was established in August 2024, for the first time bringing the regulation and funding of different parts of tertiary education in Wales under one body. This brings with it a number of advantages, not least in ensuring that learners have access to a consistently high quality education whatever pathway they choose. The new approach does, however, require changes in order to better align different parts of the tertiary sector with each other.

If you have been involved in the review of local education provision or in planning changes to school structures, you will be aware that the process is complex, highly regulated, and dependent on coordination between multiple partners.

With the introduction of the Tertiary Education and Research Act (TERA), and publication of the revised Code on School Organisation (“the Code”) on 1 April 2026, Medr now has formal statutory role within school reorganisation of sixth form provision process. This means any proposal to establish, close, or significantly alter sixth form provision in Wales’s maintained schools must be submitted to Medr for consultation. This ensures that decisions relating to post‑16 education are informed, evidence‑based, and aligned with national priorities.

Our statutory role

Schedule 4 of TERA gives Medr clear legal responsibilities when it comes to changes affecting sixth forms. These responsibilities apply across all local authority maintained schools, as well as voluntary and foundation schools that operate sixth forms.

View Medr's local authority and school sixth forms website page

Under the legislation, Medr may require:

• Local authorities to bring forward proposals to open or close stand‑alone sixth form provision, or to expand or reduce existing sixth form capacity.
• Governing bodies of voluntary or foundation schools to propose changes to their sixth form offer where needed.

While these powers exist in legislation we do not expect to be in a position where the use of such interventions is anticipated.

Local authorities also have specific duties of their own. During the formal statutory consultation period for any proposal involving:

• establishing or closing a sixth form
• changing the medium (language) of instruction
• significantly expanding or reducing capacity

…they must consult Medr. This enables us to provide a formal response grounded in evidence, learner outcomes and the long‑term sustainability of Wales’s post‑16 system.
 
Supporting early engagement of sixth form proposals

While our formal role takes effect during statutory consultation, we strongly encourage local authorities to engage with us much earlier—at the initial thinking or exploratory stage.

This early dialogue helps us:

• Share evidence and constructive advice before proposals take shape
• Support the development of coherent and well‑designed options
• Build shared understanding between local priorities and our wider Strategic Plan
• Ensure that any future statutory response is informed, substantive and genuinely helpful

Although this early engagement is not part of the statutory process, it plays a vital part in strengthening collaboration and ensuring proposals are robust and learner‑focused from the outset.

Aligning proposals with Medr’s Strategic Plan

All proposals relating to sixth form reorganisation should show how they align with the priorities set out in our Strategic Plan.

By engaging early, local authorities can better understand how their plans fit within national ambitions for a coherent, high‑quality and sustainable post‑16 system across Wales. This alignment helps ensure that changes to provision support both local needs and system-wide improvement.

New framework guidance in development

To further support local authorities, we are currently developing new framework guidance—co‑created with stakeholders from across Wales. This framework will help shape thinking before proposals enter statutory consultation, ensuring they are:

• Aligned with Medr’s statutory duties and strategic objectives
• Grounded in strong, transparent evidence
• Designed to meet the long‑term needs of learners and communities
• Supportive of a coherent national post‑16 landscape

More details on this new guidance will be shared later this year.

If you’d like to discuss potential proposals or explore ideas at an early stage, the Medr team is always happy to help. Early conversations can make a meaningful difference in developing strong, future‑proofed sixth form provision for learners across Wales.