New report highlights strengths of Welsh teacher education

A new report into Welsh teacher education has highlighted key strengths which could be used to inform future policy across the UK.

Moira Hulme, a Professor in Education at University of West of Scotland (UWS), was commissioned by the Universities and Schools Council for the Education of Teachers Cymru (UCET) to examine the strengths, achievements and future aspirations of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in Wales.
Strong foundations in partnership working, student support, theory-practice integration and responsive programme design were all identified as key strengths.

The report found that partner schools were very engaged with the ITE programmes, which had been achieved through strong governance structures and communication channels. This has resulted in a culture of mutual trust and respect, as well as a joint approach to delivery, assessment and quality assurance.

Student support is another key focus for the programmes, with student teachers taken on in smaller cohort sizes and supported by multiple staff members.

Research and theory are integrated into ITE through research-informed clinical practice models, bridging days and practice learning activities. Student teachers are also encouraged to engage with research through classroom-based experimentation, partnership conferences, research seminars and multimedia resources.

Programmes are designed to accessible and flexible, allowing them the agility to respond to regional recruitment needs, feedback from all parties and student needs. Partners communicate regularly through multiple channels, including weekly bulletins to network leads and mentors, allowing live progress tracking.

“Teacher education in Wales is moving beyond basic teacher training to deeper professional growth, supporting teachers to become curriculum designers and innovators, and developing teacher agency and professional judgement. This positive vision is balanced with pragmatic recognition of the time and resources needed to achieve it. By focusing on maintaining and building upon these areas of strength, we can create teachers who will thrive in today’s evolving educational system. These programmes can also be used to inform policy, not just in Wales, but in the wider UK.”

Professor Moira Hulme, UWS

James Noble-Rogers, Executive Director of UCET, said, “We were delighted to fund this excellent report, and we are extremely grateful to Professor Hulme for her work and to colleagues from the ITE sector in Wales for their contributions.

“The report will help to guide discussions between the sector, Welsh Government and statutory agencies in Wales and help the sector to build on the many great things that it has achieved in recent years.”