'Nowhere near enough' secondary teachers being recruited
Hayden Llewellyn, the Education Workforce Council (EWC) chief executive, gave evidence to the Senedd education committee's inquiry on recruitment and retention on June 5
Mr Llewellyn identified a clear pattern in initial teacher education, with recruitment problems centred on secondaries and 'no problem' in primary schools.
The head of the workforce regulator said the Welsh Government aims for about 600 primary teachers to be trained each year, with that number overdelivered in August 2024.
But he warned of a stark picture for secondaries, saying ministers are seeking to train about 1,000 teachers each year but the EWC issued 369 certificates, according to the latest data.
'About a third of the number of secondary teachers that Wales is looking for were managing to train,' he said, adding that a further 34 trained through an Open University route.
Mr Llewellyn stated the trend for secondary schools has gotten worse over the past ten to 20 years, with improvements during the pandemic 'dropping back significantly'.
He told Senedd members: 'I'm sorry to say, having tracked recruitment and retention for many years – I can't really see secondary improving.'
He explained recruitment in some subjects – such as PE, history and geography – is fine but maths, English, sciences, Welsh and modern foreign languages are particularly low.
Mr Llewellyn raised the example of 27 maths teachers being turned out in August, with Wales looking for nearer 130. 'It's the lowest I've ever seen over the years,' he said, adding that Wales wanted 80 to 90 Welsh teachers but only 20 completed training in 2024.
He pointed to EWC data showing 75 per cent of those teaching maths are trained in the subject and, speaking more generally, he said the number is lower still for sciences. He warned: 'Given the picture with recruitment, we could see that picture deteriorating.'
Mr Llewellyn raised the example set by Scotland where teachers' registration is linked to a specific subject or phase. 'You cannot teach a subject you're not trained in,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
4 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
New proposals launched to tackle littering in Wales
Members of the cross-party group on litter, fly-tipping, and waste reduction will put forward the manifesto proposals on Tuesday, June 10, at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay. The document is supported by organisations including Keep Wales Tidy, Fly-tipping Action Wales, and the Marine Conservation Society, who will be at the event. Mick Antoniw MS, the group's chairman, said: "Littering and fly-tipping are issues that voters care deeply about and where leadership, a more effective use of existing legislation, and a bolder approach to enforcement and penalties can help deliver the Wales we all want to see. "We hope that our proposals will be of assistance to all political parts at the Senedd in compiling their manifestos for the 2026 Senedd election." Owen Derbyshire, CEO at Keep Wales Tidy, added: "The spike in littering rates across Wales is deeply worrying. "We urgently need the next Welsh Government to prioritise bold, radical, and preventative actions to tackle litter at its source." He also said that Keep Wales Tidy 'warmly welcome' the recommendations made by the Senedd Cross Party Group on Litter, Fly-Tipping and Waste Reduction. Mr Derbyshire expressed hope that the political parties will take them into serious consideration when developing their manifestos.
South Wales Argus
4 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Welsh Government celebrates community heroes in Newport
The Welsh Government recognised the vital work of volunteers, who have improved thousands of lives across Wales. About 27 per cent of people in Wales participate in formal volunteering with charities and organisations, with many more contributing informally. The Welsh Government has invested more than £4.6 million in volunteering initiatives since April 2022, enabling more than 419,000 hours of volunteering and training for 6,710 people across Wales. Jane Hutt MS, cabinet secretary for social justice visited Newport's St Giles Trust during Volunteers Week. The trust, which has received nearly £100,000 through the Welsh Government's Strategic Volunteering Grant, supports the 'Experts By Experience Wales' project, creating volunteering opportunities for people with lived experience of the criminal justice system, poverty, violence, and exploitation. Anne-Marie Rogan, business development manager at St Giles Trust, said: "Our project aims to break down barriers for those with lived experience of adversity who want to volunteer. "We've created a self-assessment toolkit for employers across all sectors and developed a digital platform launching this month that will connect organisations with individuals seeking volunteering pathways. "This funding has been crucial in helping us drive meaningful change in how Wales approaches inclusive volunteering." At the end of Volunteers Week, MS Hutt said: "Volunteers are the backbone of our communities and Volunteers Week gives us all the opportunity to reflect on the impact volunteering has on individuals, organisations and communities across Wales. "While people give their time freely, we recognise they must be properly supported and safeguarded, which is why we remain committed to investing in people and our communities. "I thank each volunteer for their contribution and encourage everyone to continue supporting volunteering efforts that make our communities so much richer."
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Our Auld Enemy rivalry will always be part of our DNA — but look to the US and Canada for the next great national drama
ZARA JANJUA Our Auld Enemy rivalry will always be part of our DNA — but look to the US and Canada for the next great national drama Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WE Scots pride ourselves on being world-class grudge holders. For centuries, the English have been our go-to national frenemy — the original source of cultural, political and footie-based beef. But while we've been locked in this existential tug-of-war with England, another rivalry has been quietly gathering momentum across the Atlantic. 4 Scottish Sun columnist Zara Credit: The Sun 4 Our Auld Enemy rivalry with England will always be part of our DNA Credit: PA 4 Donald Trump with new Canadian PM Mark Carney Credit: AP 4 Matthew Tkachuk of Team USA fights with Brandon Hagel of Team Canada during the first period in the 4 Nations Face-Off game Credit: Getty And I hate to say it, but it might just outdo ours in both stakes and pettiness. I speak, of course, of Canada vs the United States — a feud with the energy of a polite street fight outside a farmers' market, but one that could soon eclipse our age-old Anglo-Scottish sparring. One close point from the US to Canada is the border between Detroit, Michigan (US) and Windsor, Ontario (Canada), which spans the Detroit River. This week I flew to Detroit and crossed the border by car into Windsor. On one side, muscle cars and MAGA hats; on the other, maple leaves and passive resistance. Landing in the US, I found myself wondering: Have I ever tweeted something spicy enough to be flagged by Homeland Security? I'm a liberal Pakistani-Scottish woman with a fondness for human rights and sarcasm — so, probably. I even censored myself mid-flight while chatting to the woman beside me, just in case my views got me deported before I'd even finished my pretzels. As it turned out, I sailed through immigration. But the process felt Orwellian — less Big Brother, more Big Border Patrol. It was the first time I felt that my politics, passport and profile picture might be under review by an algorithm with a grudge. Trump crushes hopes of 'peace talks' call with Musk as he insists Elon has 'lost his mind' after feud went nuclear Last week King Charles and Queen Camilla landed in Ottawa, 400 miles from Windsor — like some royal advance party sent to remind Canada they're not available for franchise. Charles was there to open Parliament and, unofficially, to stick a diplomatic elbow between Canada and Trump's vision of turning it into a Walmart with trees. Trump had recently floated the idea of Canada becoming the 51st US state — a suggestion so absurd it made The Handmaid's Tale look like a romcom. But Canadians, long stereotyped as gentle pacifists with a fetish for fleece, have started pushing back with the Elbows Up movement. Time to tan and pair up again TEN years. That's how long Love Island has been thrusting bronzed 20-somethings into a villa armed with veneers, trust issues, and bikinis smaller than their moral compasses. And somehow, despite the rise of AI lovers and Hinge horror stories, the show's stayed loyal to its original premise: couple-up or get dumped. In this economy? That's practically a marriage vow. Tomorrow, the 12th series washes ashore – and just like your ex, it'll turn up every weekday at 9pm, whether you want it to or not. But credit where it's due: in an age of ghosting, orbiting and situationships, the transactional honesty is almost refreshing. Find someone hot. Stay together. Win. If only the rest of us had a narrator explaining where we went wrong with that man from Fife who 'wasn't ready to label things'. 'Elbows Up, Canada!' is their national pep talk, a slogan born from ice hockey legend Gordie Howe, who once said: 'If a guy slashed me, I'd pull him close and elbow him in the head.' And now the nation has adopted that spirit. It features in a video campaign with new Prime Minister Mark Carney and actual national treasure Mike Myers, whose shirt: reads: 'NEVER 51.' That's the mood now — polite defiance in plaid. It's a masterclass in soft power. The Scottish-English tension may have Brexit baggage, but this? This is a full-blown cold war of the niceties. Miley is the adult now THERE are things no one prepares you for in life: pandemics, the rise of Crocs, and your dad dating Liz Hurley. But here we are – Miley Cyrus, patron saint of post-trauma empowerment, has broken her silence on her da Billy Ray's new love interest. Not a line-dancing divorcee or a country starlet, but the one and only safety-pinned icon of the Nineties. Yes, that Liz Hurley. Now, if you thought family drama peaked with Meghan and Harry, hold Miley's gluten-free beer. The former Disney rebel has navigated her parents' split, gone no-contact with Dad, and now emerged with the kind of perspective that costs thousands in therapy. 'I'm being an adult about it,' she told the New York Times, as if she's not clearly the only adult in the room. Should we have opinions on our parents' love lives? Absolutely not. Do we? Always. Especially when their new flame once dated Hugh Grant and probably owns lingerie more expensive than most mortgages. But Miley's honesty hits a nerve. That moment you realise your parents are fallible, with achy breaky hearts and questionable taste in post- divorce rebounds. It's disarming, dignified – and depressingly mature. Still, if anyone can make blended family dysfunction look glam, it's Liz bloody Hurley. And if Miley can 'wish happiness' to the chaos, maybe there's hope for the rest of us. Next year construction is due to finish on the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, named after the elbow-throwing icon. But this isn't just infrastructure — it's metaphor. A physical link between two nations increasingly trying to figure out how to stay connected without being consumed. The old Auld Enemy rivalry will always be part of our DNA — but if you're looking for the next great national drama, look to the US and Canada. It's neighbour vs neighbour, lumber vs logic, satire vs statecraft and Mike Myres vs Trump.
