Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru | National Assembly for Wales
Y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg | Children, Young People and Education Committee
Ymchwiliad i Addysg a Dysgu Proffesiynol Athrawon | Inquiry into Teachers' Professional Learning and Education

TT 19
Ymateb gan : Cyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru
Response from : Higher Education Funding Council for Wales

Arrangements for continuing professional development for the current workforce

· Some CPD is run by HEIs, not all of whom offer initial teacher training.  It is useful to have effective links between ITT and CPD in order to ensure that learning is not duplicated

· All CPD should be accredited and recordable on the Education Workforce Council’s Learning Passport

· CPD should be informed by research and should encourage teachers to engage with research, including implementing new approaches.

The role of initial teacher education

· As noted above, there should be effective links between CPD and ITT

· ITT should be research informed.  This has been a challenge to date, as most ITE departments do not have the capacity to release staff to be directly involved in research. 

· To address this issue, HEFCW has funded WISERDEducation to support and expand the research capacity of ITT providers.  We are in discussions with Welsh Government about how this work can be taken forward beyond the end of the funded period (currently to November 2017), which may include PhD projects on ITT issues.

· The Furlong review proposed four year undergraduate ITT provision, and two year Masters to replace the current PGCEs.  It has not yet been confirmed if this provision will be implemented.  If this goes forward the link between ITT and CPD will need to be revisited as there will be more time available within ITT courses.  However, if longer courses are introduced, there is a risk to recruitment in Wales, as students may prefer to undertake shorter courses in England.  Any risk to recruitment in Wales is likely to impact on the numbers of students who undertake ITT through the medium of Welsh.

· Currently students undertaking ITT in other countries of the UK can come back to Wales and seek employment, without undertaking any study to ensure that they are familiar with the Cwricwlwm Cymreig.  As the Donaldson and Furlong review recommendations are implemented, this will result in an increasing knowledge and practice gap for teachers who have studied elsewhere.  We think it would be helpful to require those who have undertaken ITT in countries outside Wales to undertake some CPD to ensure they understand and contribute effectively to Welsh government priorities for teaching.

· It would be helpful to have CPD for those who have undertaken ITT outside Wales but wish to teach through the medium of Welsh.  This could be through a requirement / recommendation for these teachers to undertake the Welsh medium ITT competency certificate.

The sufficiency of the future workforce

· Within a devolved administration, the requirements for the workforce in Wales are becoming increasingly distinct from that in other countries of the UK.  This will become even more apparent in the light of the introduction of the Donaldson and Furlong recommendations.