Latest news with #EducationWorkforceCouncil
South Wales Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
'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.
Western Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
'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.
South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
'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.
Wales Online
3 days ago
- General
- Wales Online
Wales is recruiting ‘nowhere near enough' secondary teachers
Wales is recruiting 'nowhere near enough' secondary teachers Only a third of the number of secondary school teachers have been recruited Wales is only training around a third of the necessary secondary school teachers, with nowhere near enough recruits and no improvement in sight, an education chief warned. The Welsh Government aims to train about 1,000 teachers each year but the Education Workforce Council issued 369 certificates, according to the latest data from August 2024. A further 34 people trained through an Open University route. In August, 27 maths teachers got their certificates, but 130 is the target. In terms of Welsh teachers, the hope is for 80 to 90 but only 20 completed training in 2024. Education Workforce Council (EWC) chief executive Hayden Llewellyn, gave evidence to the Senedd education committee and said 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." For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Recruitment in some subjects – such as PE, history and geography – is fine but maths, English, sciences, Welsh and modern foreign languages are particularly low, he said. EWC data showed 75% 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." In terms of primary school teachers, the Welsh Government aims for about 600 primary teachers to be trained each year, a number which overdelivered in August 2024. Article continues below Eithne Hughes, the EWC's chair, added that some in Wales are teaching not just their specialism 'but possibly a couple of others, adding to the workload pressure'. Ms Hughes said: 'That becomes an issue when you've got reduced funding and headteachers just having to have somebody in front of classes. It doesn't support standards.' 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. Mr Llewellyn said the number of Welsh-speaking teachers is 33% – higher than the census – but it has remained static despite initiatives, with a lower number among support staff. He told the committee the number of Welsh speakers currently completing training is about 20% for primaries and 18% for secondaries, against a target of 30%. "When you magnify that down into particular subjects, you see those figures dropping," he said, adding that only three of the 27 new maths teachers were Welsh speakers. Ms Hughes, a former headteacher in an English-medium school, told Senedd members she found recruiting Welsh teachers extremely difficult during her experience. Pressed about the key barriers and why Welsh Government targets are 'continually missed', Ms Hughes pointed to work-life balance, policy overload, pay, and behavioural problems. She suggested teachers are expected to be a social worker, police officer and medical expert, stressing: 'We have to allow the business of teaching… to be at the core'. Mr Llewellyn agreed: "What it means to be a teacher… in terms of workload, stress, bureaucracy, accountability, lack of autonomy, and pupil behaviour – it's a tough gig." He urged policymakers to treat the causes rather than the symptoms as he questioned 'flashy' promotional campaigns: "If what you're trying to promote isn't good, it won't work." Pointing out that the starting salary for some bus drivers is near to teachers' in Wales, he warned: "The reality is: to be convinced to be a teacher is increasingly unlikely." Asked about retention, he said around 2,400 teachers leave the EWC register every year, concluding:"We need to watch this really carefully because it's OK when you lose individuals from the profession and you're recruiting the number you need back. But… we are recruiting nowhere near the number of secondary and Welsh-medium teachers that we need. Attrition is OK if you're replacing but therein lies the problem." Article continues below
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Some schools limiting subjects due to staff shortages
Some secondary schools are having to cut back on their curriculum because of problems recruiting staff, Wales' chief inspector of education has said. Owen Evans said Estyn school inspectors were also starting to see more difficulties retaining staff. Giving evidence to a Senedd committee, Mr Evans said recruitment challenges "weaken the standard of teaching but also the choice available to children". The Welsh government said it would be providing an extra £20m for schools to support education standards in 2024-25. Five things inspectors say about Wales' schools Inspectors also said improvements were needed to the quality of maths teaching because "standards in mathematics are too low". Estyn chiefs were answering questions from the Children, Young People and Education Committee about its annual report in which it said problems recruiting qualified staff were having an impact on the quality of education and posed a "risk" to the system. Mr Evans said it was also limiting the subject choices available to children. "We see secondary schools now that have to limit the curriculum because they can't recruit teachers in those subjects," he said. Retention of school staff is also "going down", he said, despite the Education Workforce Council saying the situation was stable. "I don't expect that stable situation to continue," he added. The chief inspector said schools were reporting key staff were leaving the profession. Mr Evans added secondary headteachers told inspectors they would "get one applicant if they're lucky" when they advertise for maths teachers "and sometimes that person isn't employable". Claire Morgan, strategic director of Estyn, said they were "really concerned" about numeracy, adding there should be a "determination to improve standards in mathematics". "If we're to get numeracy right we have to get the quality of maths teaching right first, because standards in mathematics are too low," she told members of the committee. On pupils' behaviour, Mr Evans said Estyn would be publishing a report on the topic soon but they had found it was less of a problem "where they have quite strong policies that have been developed with pupils and parents". He said "very clear expectations" and "consistency of application so that everyone know where the boundaries are" was also important. It came as the Welsh government said it would be providing an extra £20m for schools to support education standards in 2024-25. Education Secretary Lynne Neagle said: "Through continued dialogue with education partners, I understand the scale of the difficulties being faced every day and I am thankful for the hard work of the education workforce across Wales. "In recognition of the pressures our schools are facing, I want to provide as much funding as possible to raise school standards and support our learners to thrive." Maths classes of 60 pupils amid teacher shortage Schools urge Welsh-speaking teachers to come home
