New placement scheme will boost teaching support in schools

More than 20 additional trainee teachers will be in Bridgend County Borough schools this autumn term as part of a new Welsh Government placement scheme.

Aimed at supporting newly-qualified teachers by providing them with a term of employment to support their transition into teaching, the scheme will also allow schools to increase capacity and free up other teachers to provide extra help to vulnerable learners.

Within Bridgend County Borough, 17 primary, secondary and special schools will benefit from a total of 21 trainee teachers.

We know the last 18 months has been incredibly difficult for learners and teachers with schooling disrupted by the pandemic, and as a result many trainee teachers across Wales missed the opportunity to gain experience with in-classroom training.

As part of this scheme, local authorities have helped to arrange an induction placement programme which enables newly qualified teachers to gain the training, experience and confidence they need while also providing additional capacity in schools to support learner recovery.

Funded by a Welsh Government grant of around £250,000 to Bridgend, the programme will run until the end of December with schools having the option of extending contracts by making use of things like the Recruit, Recover and Raise Standards grant funding.

Councillor Charles Smith, Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration

Christopher Jones, Headteacher at Llangynwyd Primary School, said: “The Newly-Qualified Teacher (NQT) Induction Scheme is of great benefit for the NQT and the placement school.

“Following the disruption of the last 18 months it gives the NQT an opportunity to continue their professional development. For the school, it enables them to further develop their preparation for Curriculum for Wales but also run additional bespoke interventions within their school. This will of course be in literacy and numeracy but also, more importantly in PSE.”

Newly qualified teacher Thomas Staley who will start a placement at Bryncethin Primary School next week said: “This is a really valuable opportunity for us as newly qualified teachers to build on what we have been learning on teaching practice and to offer further assistance to the schools in their Covid-recovery response.  It is a really good start to our careers in teaching and I am looking forward to getting started in the role.”