Written question WQ96317

The Welsh Ministers have powers to provide financial assistance under sections 14-17 of the Education Act 2002 for:

a. the promotion of the recruitment or retention of teachers or non-teaching staff;

b. providing for a person's maintenance while such a course is undertaken;

c. the remuneration of, or provision of other benefits to, teachers or non-teaching staff.

We offer a range of incentives to attract more entrants to programmes of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and they are specifically targeted at cohorts of graduates where recruitment into ITE is most challenging and there is an identified requirement in the school teaching workforce.

The incentive schemes are:

Priority Subject Incentive that offers up to £15,000 for students who undertake a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) to train to teach Biology, Chemistry, Design & Technology, Information Technology, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), Physics or Welsh.

Iaith Athrawon Yfory that offers up to £5,000 for students undertaking a PGCE to teach through the medium of Welsh.

Ethnic Minority Incentive that offers up to £5,000 for entrants from eligible ethnic minorities.

Should a person be eligible for any of the ITE Incentive schemes it does not impact on:

• the statutory ITE entry requirements in Wales that all ITE applicants must meet,

• assessment decisions made by universities regarding their achievement of an ITE qualification including the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), and

• employment decisions made by local authorities and school governors when determining the needs of the children and young people in their schools and thereby their teaching workforce.