WIREDGOV

High achieving graduates will be able to access incentives of up to £20,000 to train to teach top priority subjects such as Maths, Welsh and Physics at secondary school level in the next academic year, Education Minister, Huw Lewis has announced.

The financial incentives are part of the Welsh Government’s ongoing work to drive up education standards across Wales and increase the quality of graduates entering the teaching profession.

The Minister announced that during the 2015/16 academic year, students with a 1st class honours degree will be able to claim £20,000 to study to teach the Welsh Government’s top priority subjects of Welsh, Maths, Physics and Chemistry at secondary school level .

Graduates with a 2.1 degree will be able to claim £10,000 to train to teach the same subjects while those with a  2.2 degree can claim £6000.

Slightly lower rates have been set for graduates training to teach modern languages and computer science at secondary school level .  For these  medium priority subjects, 1st class honour degree holders can claim a £15,000 incentive while those with a 2.1 can claim £6000.  

Graduates with a 1st class degree undertaking postgraduate teacher training in all other secondary subjects may be eligible for a grant of £3000 and all those training to be Primary school teachers will continue to get a £3000 bursary.

Finally in line with the Welsh Government’s focus on  driving up standards of literacy and numeracy and core science, an additional £3000 incentive will be available for graduates with a 1st class honours degree studying to teach primary school children and specialising  in English, Welsh, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.

On top of these incentives, eligible students will also be able to access the £5190 tuition fee grant for 2015/16.

Speaking about the incentives for Initial Teaching Education and Training, Education Minister, Huw Lewis said:

“As part of our ongoing work to drive up education standards in Wales it is vital we attract high quality, committed and highly talented students into the teaching profession.        

“These incentives are designed to increase the caliber of students choosing to teach, and particularly to encourage the most talented graduates, with specialist knowledge of  our priority subjects of Welsh, Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry to pursue a career in the teaching profession.

“Ultimately this is about providing our learners with the best possible  education and start in life and I am confident these incentives will continue to strengthen the quality of initial teaching training in Wales.”