One third of Welsh teaching positions unfilled

Official figures from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales have shown that a third of secondary school teacher training places were not filled at the start of the academic year.

Despite maintained an official target of 880 teacher training posts, only 553 students started training in 2015. Currently, teacher training in Wales is provided by three centres involving five universities. Each year the centres are set recruitment targets for initial teacher training.

The news comes as major reforms to teacher training in Wales are due to be introduced by September 2018.

Rebecca Williams, policy officer at Ucac, said: “The figures are beginning to tell quite a strong story that we have a recruitment problem into the teaching profession in Wales. In a way it's just the tip of the iceberg, it doesn't take into account the drop out of those who don't finish the course and those who drop out in the early years in the profession because they find it's not what they wanted or it doesn't suit them.”

A spokesman for the Welsh Government argued: "We are committed to recruiting individuals with the right skills, qualifications and commitment into the profession which is why training incentives are available in Wales to encourage high performing graduates to consider teaching as a career."