Teaching offers a truly rewarding professional career, where you can make a real difference every day. 

With the new curriculum being introduced, a national goal for one million Welsh speakers by 2050, and plenty of professional learning opportunities throughout your working life, there really has never been a better time to teach through the medium of Welsh. 

There are various ways to start your teaching journey tailored to suit you - full-time, part-time or salaried courses delivered by one of our Initial Teacher Education (ITE) partnerships based across Wales. Secondary school teachers are particularly needed at the moment and there are also added financial incentives available for those training to teach Welsh, or another subject through the medium of Welsh. 

Find out more about what it's like to be a teacher - how you can train and starting salary - and what qualifications you will need.

Ready to train to Teach in Wales?
If you are ready to take the plunge and know where or how you want to train, then you can contact your chosen ITE directly.
Visit your ITE below to get your application started.
Michael
Teacher – Science
It’s important to teach my subject through the medium of Welsh, to spark that love of science for learners in Wales.
Angharad
Teacher – Head of Bilingualism
I was 45 when I learned Welsh – I’m 47 now and teaching it. If I can do it at that age, anyone can.
Daniel
Primary (with added responsibility for teaching Welsh as a second language to pupils and teachers)
It's much more than just the language. It's about celebrating the culture and the ethos that comes with the Welsh language.
Meet some of our teachers
Learn what it’s really like to be a teacher in Wales, from people who teach through the medium of Welsh.
Financial Incentives
You may be eligible for financial incentives to help you while you train.

The priority subjects in Wales are:
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • Mathematics
  • Welsh 
  • Design & Technology
  • Information Technology
  • Modern Foreign Languages

Graduates with relevant degrees may be eligible for an incentive to undertake a Priority Subject PGCE in Wales. If choosing to teach Cymraeg or through the medium of Cymraeg in the secondary phase, an additional £5,000 is available under the Iaith Athrawon Yfory Incentive Scheme, and a further £5,000 through the Welsh in education retention bursary if you remain in a teaching post three years after gaining QTS. There is also £5,000 available for student teachers from  Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.

 

1st and/or PHD/Masters

2.1

2.2

Biology, Chemistry, Design & Technology, Information Technology, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), Physics and Welsh

 

£15,000

 

£15,000

 

£15,000

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW...

How do I become a teacher?

There are many ways to become a teacher in Wales – we’ll help you find the way best suited to you.

To become a teacher in Wales you will require Mathematics and English or Welsh GCSE grade C or equivalent whilst prospective primary teachers will also require a C grade in GCSE Science. If you are applying to a PGCE programme, you will also need an appropriate university degree.

Yes! Certain graduates could be entitled to up to £25,000 depending on circumstances such as your degree subject, degree classification, and Welsh language abilities. Visit the Financial Incentives section to find out what you may be entitled to. Information about funding for postgraduate Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes can be found on the Student Finance Wales website.

If you are considering a career teaching in Wales, you will need to obtain qualified teaching status (QTS). You can do this by studying on an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programme, accredited by the Education Workforce Council (EWC) through its ITE Accreditation Board. 


ITE programmes are available at both Primary and Secondary levels and can be studied either as an undergraduate (UG) or postgraduate (PGCE) degree. They provide the professional education and development of student teachers, preparing them for work in schools in Wales and providing the foundation for career-long professional learning. These programmes are based on learning that is both rigorously practical and intellectually challenging.


You can study an ITE programme at:

Two routes into teaching are delivered for selected subjects by the Open University partnership, meaning you can train in the way best suited to you. 

There is a Salaried PGCE, where you can work as a non-qualified teacher at a school, and a Part Time PGCE for those with other life commitments. These are available at both Primary and Secondary levels. These two innovative programmes will help to widen access to a teaching career more than ever before. Guidance on support available can be found here

Yes! Whether you have gained qualified teacher status (QTS) in another area of the UK, or from outside the UK, you will need to first apply to EWC for recognition of your QTS in Wales. Please visit the EWC website to find out how.

Is teaching right for me?

A great way to help find out is to apply for work experience at a local school, or multiple schools, to get a taste of what life is like at the front of a classroom rather than behind a desk.

Does this kind of job sound appealing to you?

  • One that offers a stable, long term career combined with opportunities to grow professionally
  • The opportunity to utilise your degree subject and share that passion and specialist knowledge every day
  • A chance to inspire the next generation of young minds and guide them in the most important, formative years of their lives
  • The feeling that you are making a real, tangible difference every time you go into work, and knowing that you’ll be remembered for the rest of someone’s life
  • Using the Welsh language on a daily basis and passing it on to the next generation of speakers 

Of course there’s no way you can know for sure until you are actually working as a teacher, but if this sounds like the kind of job you would enjoy, then teaching could be perfect for you. 

A great way to help find out is to apply for work experience at a local school, or multiple schools, to get a taste of what life is like at the front of a classroom rather than behind a desk. It may feel very different to how you remember it from your own time as a pupil! This will also stand you in very good stead when applying for teacher training. 

It isn’t a compulsory requirement to speak Welsh to teach in Wales, although there are opportunities for Welsh speakers to improve their skills, and for non-Welsh speakers to learn the language. All teachers are expected to increase their understanding and use of Welsh throughout their career. 

We also provide financial incentives for those who wish to teach through the medium of Welsh - visit the Financial Incentives section to find out more.

The starting salary for new teachers in Wales is currently over £30,000. Over your working life, you can expect to increase your salary as you gain experience and take on additional pastoral/academic duties, such as within your faculty or as a tutor. Continuous professional development (CPD) will also be offered to increase and improve your skills throughout your career.

No! You can train to teach at any age, from 18 upwards – you’re never too old! In fact, today’s headteachers believe it is important for schools to have a well-balanced workforce, with a combination of both career changers and new graduates who choose teaching as their first career upon leaving university. Having more years under your belt before entering the profession means you probably have valuable insights and experience to bring to your pupils.

Teaching is a great profession whatever you decide, but secondary school teachers are particularly needed at the moment, and especially for these subjects:

  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • Mathematics
  • Welsh (and teaching any subject through the medium of Welsh)
  • Computer Science
  • Modern Foreign Languages 

That’s why we offer a range of financial incentives worth up to £25,000 depending on circumstances such as your degree subject, degree classification, and Welsh language abilities. Visit the Financial Incentives section to find out what you may be entitled to.

Why choose Wales?

We may be a small nation, but our innovative approaches and high ambitions make us stand out from the crowd.

We may be a small nation, but our innovative approaches and high ambitions make us stand out from the crowd. 

A brand new curriculum in Wales is currently being developed in conjunction with teachers, ready for teaching in September 2022. The new curriculum will give teachers more freedom to be creative in what they teach, and the way they teach it, with the intention of creating students who are:

  1. Ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives
  2. Enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work
  3. Ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world
  4. Healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

In addition to this, Wales offers a high starting salary of over £30,000 for teachers, as well as fantastic long term career opportunities. Continuous professional development (CPD), including the brand new National Masters in Education, is offered throughout your career, and teaching is recognised as providing a stable, reliable income throughout your working life.

Professional development (CPD) continues throughout your teaching career and as there are so many different elements involved with the delivery of education within our schools there will be plenty of opportunities for you to take on board new responsibilities, while expanding your skillset and relishing new experiences.

I'VE MADE MY DECISION. WHAT DO I DO NEXT?

 

So you’ve decided you want to train as a teacher in Wales - that’s fantastic news! 

Have you decided how you want to train (full time, part time or via the salaried route)? 

If the answer is no, visit the How do I become a teacher? FAQ section for help. 

If the answer is yes, but you still have some questions, then get in touch! No matter your question or query, we want to hear from you. Contact us today.

Or if the answer is yes, and you already know where or how you want to train, then you can contact that ITE directly to get your application started. 

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Start your journey today. Get in touch with us for more information and to chat about options. 

Get in Touch

WHO ARE WE?

Educators Wales is a new online home for all education professionals in Wales - no matter what stage of your career journey you’re at - from trainee applicants to fully qualified teachers looking for new teaching positions. Educators Wales has everything you need to explore pathways and career opportunities within education. Take a look around.

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