Teacher education and training

Estyn carries out inspections of initial teacher training under the terms of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998. Under Section 20(1), the Chief Inspector may inspect and report on any initial or in-service training of teachers provided by a relevant institution in Wales. We inspect training that leads to the award of Qualified Teacher Status, including that provided by higher education institutions with their partner schools.

The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales bases the accreditation of initial teacher training institutions on our inspection evidence. We inspect initial teacher training institutions and their partner schools once every five years. Inspection teams consist of Her Majesty's Inspectors and trained additional inspectors, who are experienced teacher trainers. We report on the standard of trainees' teaching, on the quality of the training and on management. The standard of trainees' teaching is the key measure of the quality of the training and assessment and of the effectiveness of leadership and management. Inspection criteria are based on the detailed statutory requirements for initial teacher training.

Welsh Office Circular 13/98 sets out the:

• requirements for initial teacher training institutions, such as the requirement for partnership with schools;
• standards that trainees must meet for the award of Qualified Teacher Status;
• initial teacher training National Curricula for primary English, Welsh and mathematics.

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