Minister announces new teacher training incentives

Support is being focused on targeting priority subjects and the recruitment of high calibre candidates:- priority incentives will be available for new eligible students starting postgraduate ITT courses in the 2012/13 academic year in mathematics, physics, chemistry, modern foreign languages and Welsh these incentives will be variable depending on degree qualifications.  Eligible postgraduate students with a first class degree will receive the highest funding levels, with progressively lower amounts for those a 2.1 or 2.2.  Funding will not be available for those without at least a 2.2. Outside of the priority subjects, only new eligible students with a first class degree starting postgraduate ITT courses in the 2012/13 academic year in a range of other designated subjects or in primary studies will receive incentive grants. This support builds on the new tuition fee grant, which is available to students ordinarily resident in Wales who start full-time postgraduate ITT courses in the 2012/13 academic year on the same basis as undergraduate courses. The Minister said, “The ITT incentive grants we are making available for the 2012/13 academic year are aimed at strengthening ITT in Wales. “They support studies here which can lead on to the Masters programme for Newly Qualified Teachers which I announced would be available from September 2012. “Our approach targets priority postgraduate secondary subjects; supports recruitment of high calibre candidates, including those with first class degrees outside the priority subjects; and continues our approach of supporting Welsh students by providing a comparable package to England for ITT students.”