Initial Teacher Training

Initial Teacher Training (ITT) is the education and training course that leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Anyone wishing to teach in a local authority maintained school in England and Wales must have this qualification.

HEFCW works with universities, the Welsh Assembly Government, Estyn (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales), the General Teaching Council for Wales and further education colleges to ensure the best possible opportunities for trainee teachers throughout Wales.

Welsh Medium in ITT

Higher education institutions help provide a steady flow of teachers who can teach through the Welsh language in schools in Wales. Trainees can opt to do a number of ITT courses through the medium of Welsh and take their school experience in a Welsh medium school.

The Welsh medium incentive scheme is aimed at trainees who enrol on Welsh-medium secondary school age PGCE courses.  It provides financial and linguistic support to students who need additional confidence and competence training to help them teach their secondary school subject through the medium of Welsh.  Information on eligibility is available from teacher training providers.

Teaching Welsh

There are modules available for trainee teachers on undergraduate primary school courses to help them learn Welsh to a high enough standard to teach through the Welsh language in English medium primary schools.

Those training to teach Welsh in a secondary school can become either ‘first’ or ‘second language’ teachers, depending on their own skills and the linguistic abilities of the pupils they are teaching. The current shortage of Welsh language secondary teachers, particularly for Welsh as a second language, is reflected in the Welsh Assembly Government’s training bursaries scheme.