Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

To become a school teacher and teach in a maintained school in Wales, you need to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), this means completing a programme of Initial Teacher Education (ITE). There are a variety of ways to start your teaching career and Educators Wales will help you explore what teaching is like and the routes available. Once you have gained your QTS you will need to complete a period of induction.

We have a dedicated area on the Education Wales YouTube channel for the Teaching Wales campaign which provides further information.

Undergraduate

If you do not already have a degree, you can take a full time undergraduate teacher training course.

These include:

• Bachelor of Education (BEd)
• Bachelor of Arts (BA)
• Bachelor of Science (BSc)

You will need to apply through UCAS.

Educators Wales will help you explore the route best suited to your circumstances and qualifications.

You may be eligible for general student support whilst you are studying. Contact Student Finance Wales for information on what is available.

Postgraduate

If you already have a degree, you can study for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The PGCE is a yearlong full-time programme of training. It will develop your skills as a teacher while you work towards the QTS Standards. PGCE courses are available through ITE partnerships across Wales.

You can apply directly to the ITE Partnerships or through the UCAS website.

Part Time PGCE

From September 2020 a new Part Time route into teaching is available. This new route is delivered by the Open University ITE partnership. 

The new route will take two years to complete and will allow student teachers to study while working or balancing other life commitments. You will work towards a PGCE qualification (including 60 Masters level credits) and meeting QTS standards.

Further information is available on The Open University website.

Salaried PGCE

From September 2020 a new employment based route into teaching is available. This new route is delivered by the Open University ITE partnership.

The new route will take two years to complete and will allow you to receive an unqualified teacher salary while you work towards a PGCE qualification (including 60 Masters level credits) and meeting QTS standards.

Further information on this programme is available on The Open University website.

Further details on the delivery of the employment based route is available for students, schools and partnerships.

Since September 2019 the selection process for student teachers must involve both HEIs and schools. This process determines a candidate’s personal aptitude, capability and resilience for teaching, as well as establishing their personal and intellectual qualities and academic studies. As a minimum candidates must hold:

• a standard equivalent to GCSE Grade C or above in mathematics or Mathematics-Numeracy
• a standard equivalent to GCSE Grade C or above in either English Language or Welsh Language
• a standard equivalent to GCSE Grade C or above in a science subject, if you want to teach in primary school (learners aged 4 to 11)
• a degree with at least 50% relevance to the subject you want to teach to become a secondary school teacher (learners aged 12 to 16) (more information on this requirement is available from the ITE Partnerships who make this determination)

Full entry requirement can be viewed at appendix 2 of the Welsh Government’s Criteria for the accreditation of initial teacher education programmes in Wales document.

ITE providers can also add their own entry requirements which may exceed those detailed above.

If you are unsure if your qualifications meet the entry requirements or would like further information, please contact an ITE Partnership listed on this page.

Initial Teacher Education (ITE) partnerships are a partnership between a university and schools who work together to provide the professional education and development of student teachers, preparing them for work in school.

• CaBan (Bangor University)
• Yr Athrofa: Professional Learning Partnership (APLP) (University of Wales Trinity St David, Carmarthen and Swansea)
• Cardiff Partnership
• Swansea University Schools' Partnership
• University of South Wales ITE Partnership
• The Open University

All Initial Teacher Education (ITE) trainees must meet the professional standards for teaching and leadership. Since September 2019 professional standards apply. They set out what ITE students must know, understand and what they should be able to do at the end of their ITE programme enabling QTS to be gained.

The QTS Standards have statutory force and are set out in legislation.

Once you have gained QTS and are a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) you will need to complete a career entry profile (CEP) and undertake your induction.

You will also need to register with the Education Workforce Council (EWC) if you want to work in a maintained school in Wales.

There are 3 incentive schemes available to students:

• Initial Teacher Education priority subjects are grants available to eligible students with certain degrees who undertake an accredited postgraduate ITE programme with Qualified Teacher Status. 
• Iaith Athrawon Yfory incentives is a grant available to students studying an accredited secondary postgraduate ITE programme with Qualified Teacher Status, that enables them to teach through the medium of Welsh or Welsh as a subject. This grant supports the Cymraeg 2050 Welsh language strategy, the Welsh Government’s ambition to increase the number of Welsh teachers and the target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050.
• The Ethnic Minority Initial Teacher Education (ITE) incentive is a grant available to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students studying an accredited postgraduate ITE programme leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Students undertaking training programmes which enable them to teach in the Post Compulsory Education and Training Sector (PGCE PCET) (FE) should contact their provider or post-16workforcedevlopment@gov.wales

For further information about becoming a teacher visit Educators Wales. If you’d like to contact a member of the team for further support or information on a career in education contact information@educators.wales.

For further information about undertaking an ITE programme please contact an ITE partnership.

For more information about our policy on initial teacher education, email us at teaching.enquiries@gov.wales.