Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru | National Assembly for Wales

Y Pwyllgor Materion Allanol a Deddfwriaeth Ychwanegol | External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee

Y goblygiadau i Gymru wrth i Brydain adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd | Implications for Wales of Britain exiting the European Union

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Ymateb gan Cyngor y Gweithlu Addysg

Evidence from Education Workforce Council

Consultation on the implications for Wales of Britain exiting the European Union

The Education Workforce Council (EWC) is the professional regulatory body for the education workforce in Wales, covering school teachers, further education (FE) teachers and learning support workers in school and FE settings. It is also the policy intention of the Welsh Government to further extend the new Council’s remit to youth / youth support workers and work based learning professionals from April 2017.

Under EU Directive 2005/36/EC, the Education Workforce Council is the “competent authority” in Wales, with responsibility to assess the professional status of persons from EU countries seeking to have their qualifications recognised in Wales, and in turn be afforded “Qualified Teacher Status” in Wales. This remit relates to school teachers only. At its peak in 2013-14, the Council received  around 100 such applications, however this figure has now fallen to around 40 per year.

The Council will require clarification from the Home Office as to whether this scheme will continue to apply following Britain’s exit from the EU. Depending on the decision, the EWC and Welsh Government may need to develop alternative arrangements for persons from Europe who wish to have their existing qualifications recognised in order to teach in Wales, rather than retraining. In this regard, it is worth acknowledging that qualified teachers from countries outside the EU who wish to teach in Wales on a permanent basis already need to gain a teaching qualification here and are unable to have their existing qualifications recognised.

If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Chief Executive