The Graduate Teacher Programme will no longer be available in Wales from Sept 2020. The Open University in partnership with the consortia and the Welsh Government hope to offer a partially funded salaried PGCE programme which we intend to commence as a pilot in April 2020 (Science only) before full roll out in Sept 2020 (shortage subjects only). All PGCE programmes are currently subject to accreditation by the EWC.
The OU Partnership salaried programme is a two year programme designed to support student teachers to combine employment by the school as learning support with in-school mentoring and dedicated PGCE practice learning periods, alongside distance learning online study. The programme leads the student to gain a PGCE with QTS. During the two years, students’ study fees are paid by means of a training grant, and the employer school receives a salary contribution from WG towards the cost of the unqualified teacher salary that is payed to the student in shortage subjects.
Where a school is interested in supporting a salaried student, the recruitment process would endeavour to match a prospective student teacher to an employer school (providing the school meets Employer school criteria).
We are keen to approach science graduates to take part in the pilot programme beginning next April. These could be suitably qualified colleagues already working in school, such as teaching assistants, youth workers or science technicians. Moving forward we will be looking to recruit suitably qualified graduates to fill courses in Primary and secondary Maths, MFL, Welsh and D and T.
For further information about this route and the non- funded part time PGCE route into teaching, please contact hannah.barry@sewaleseas.org.uk.
Further information: