Written question WQ88453

There is no legal requirement to have a recognised teaching qualification to work in a private school. The Welsh Government is not aware of any teaching qualifications specifically for the private school sector.

School teachers working in maintained settings across the UK are recognised as a regulated profession. To teach in a maintained school in Wales persons must meet the Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) Standards which form part of the Professional Standards for Teaching and Leadership and register with the Education Workforce Council. The requirements have statutory force and are set out in Welsh legislation; The Education Workforce Council (Main Functions) (Wales) Regulations 2015 (‘the 2015 regulations’) and The School Teachers' Qualifications (Wales) Regulations 2012 (‘the 2012 regulations’). There is scope under the current legislation for an unqualified teacher to teach in maintained settings under limited circumstances, for a limited time.

The 2012 regulations provide the requirements that must be met for award of QTS including the requirement for school teacher qualifications in Wales to be accredited. In May 2023, following public consultation, the updated Criteria for accreditation of Initial Teacher Education programmes in Wales was published. The updated Criteria continues to ensure that all programmes of initial teacher education (ITE) that awards QTS are high quality and professionally appropriate.

In Wales there are several options for those looking to retrain and receive QTS for the maintained school sector including:

• Full-time undergraduate ITE qualifications

• Full-time postgraduate ITE qualifications

• Part-time postgraduate ITE qualifications

• and Employment based postgraduate ITE qualifications (also known as the Salaried PGCE)

Student finance is available to those wishing to undertake either a full or part-time ITE qualification with QTS in Wales. Changes to student finance following the Diamond review mean that all Welsh students can apply for support equivalent to the National Living wage while they study, and post-graduate ITE students are eligible for the same levels of support as ITE undergraduate students. Part time student teachers may also be eligible for student finance support.

The Welsh Government also provides grant funding to support student teachers on the Salaried PGCE, covering their full training costs and, where eligible, supporting their employing schools with a salary contribution grant.

Induction is a statutory requirement for all newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in the maintained sector in Wales who gained QTS after 1 April 2003. In 2022, following a public consultation, improvements were made to statutory induction to introduce greater flexibility, strengthen NQTs’ learning and mentoring and allow induction to take place in PRUs. All NQTs benefit from the changes, regardless of whether they are employed on a contract or supply basis. Induction may still take place in an independent school that meets specified criteria. The revised induction regulations do not change those criteria.

The revised arrangements include a statutory requirement for NQTs to complete induction within five years of obtaining QTS or within five years from 7 November 2022 (whichever is the later). This encourages consistency and continuity of teachers’ professional development. It also brings teaching in line with other professions. Extensions of two years (or more, in certain circumstances) may be considered by the appropriate body.

An NQT who does not successfully complete induction within the time limit will no longer be eligible to practice as a teacher in a maintained school. The individual may still be employed as a teacher in an independent school or further education setting, or as a learning support worker in a maintained school.