Changes to teacher training
CHANGES to new initial teacher training courses in Wales have been announced by Education Secretary Kirsty Williams.
The Welsh Government said changes to initial teacher education (ITE) are aimed at attracting the best candidates and include strengthening how schools and universities work together and increasing the role of research.
The latest accreditation criteria include a bigger role for schools, a clearer role for universities, structured opportunities to link school and university learning and more emphasis on research.
The changes come after the recently published new professional teaching and leadership standards.
Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said: “I want teaching in Wales to be a first-choice profession so that we can attract the very best. For this to happen, we must get our initial teacher education offer right. The new accreditation standards are part of our national mission to raise the standards and standing of the profession.
“The teaching profession can only make its proper contribution to raising standards of education in our schools if our initial teacher training offers our future teachers the skills, knowledge and appetite to lead the change required.
“This is about our schools and universities working together, using the best research available, so our teachers have the right skills to deliver our new curriculum for the benefit of all our pupils.”
She also announced that the Education Workforce Council (EWC) will accredit individual ITE programmes, through the establishment of the Initial School Teacher Training Committee (the Board).
She wants international evidence and best practice to help guide Wales’ education reforms. From today the OECD will be holding an international workshop in Cardiff to help further develop ITE in Wales.
NUT Cymru Secretary David Evans said: “The changes put forward by the Welsh Government do reflect the need for a greater emphasis on the research capacity of the teaching profession, and to enhance the skills of teachers around curriculum design.
“For too long support in those areas has been limited due to the Welsh Government operating a highly prescriptive approach to the sector. We must make sure that as we make the change to a more innovative way of teaching pupils, those entering the profession,, and those already working within the sector are given the right kind of training, excellent pay and conditions and the right level of support.”