Financial incentives to attract new teachers extended

16 Jan 2019 10:56 AM

The Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, has today announced the existing financial incentives for teacher training will be extended into the academic year 2019-20.

The incentives, of up to £20,000 per student, aim to attract the best graduates into teaching priority subjects such as maths, chemistry, physics, computer science and modern foreign languages.

Iaith Athrawon Yfory, the incentive scheme of up to £5,000 to train to teach secondary education in Welsh, will also continue in 2019-20. Iaith Athrawon Yfory can be applied for alongside the incentives for priority subjects, making the maximum incentive up to £25,000.

The highest value incentives are available to graduates undertaking Initial Teacher Education in the priority areas who hold a first class degree, Masters or PhD, with other incentives for graduates with 2:1 and 2:2 degrees.

The funding is for postgraduates starting Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses in the following subjects:

• Up to £20,000 for mathematics, physics, chemistry, Welsh or computer sciences
• Up to £15,000 for modern foreign languages
• £3,000 for graduates with a first-class degree, a Masters or a PhD to teach all other main secondary subjects and primary
• A £3,000 supplement for graduates with a first-class degree, a Masters or a PhD undertaking primary PGCE studies with subject specialism in English, Welsh, mathematics or science.

Kirsty Williams, said:

“Giving school pupils the best possible education means attracting the best teachers into the profession, especially in priority subjects where the demand for new teachers is highest.

“We are also extending the Iaith Athrawon Yfory incentives to help increase the numbers teaching Welsh and through the medium of Welsh, to help us achieve our aims in Cymraeg 2050.

“These incentives of up to £20,000, with an additional £5,000 available for Welsh-medium teachers, will help recruit the best teachers we can and support them on their career pathway. Maintaining a strong and skilled teaching workforce is essential to achieving our ambitions in our National Mission for Education in Wales.”

Further information on the incentives can be found at: https://www.discoverteaching.wales/teacher-training-incentives/