The Education Workforce Council (EWC) procures various goods and services for use in the achievement of its functions, and aims to achieve value for money in all procurements. The procedures for procurement are detailed in the Finance Manual.

We conduct our procurement process in accordance with UK Public Contracts Regulations and EU Public Procurement Directives.

Thresholds

The Finance Manual sets out thresholds determining the appropriate procurement route. Except where single tender action is unavoidable, procurement of goods/services of value between £5,000 and £25,000 are based on sourcing three written quotations from suppliers, with procurements valued greater than £25,000 following a formal procedure (all values, including VAT). This may include:

• use of a centrally negotiated framework, such as those established by the National Procurement Service or the Crown Commercial Services
• tendering such contracts on Sell2Wales, the Welsh Government procurement portal. The EWCis registered as a buyer on Sell2Wales, and will advertise invitations to tender here. If a supplier is not currently registered with Sell2Wales, they can register here

Calculation of the threshold is based on the actual good/ service being procured, and will exclude eg fixed costs, such as postage.

Equality

As a Welsh public body, the EWC is committed to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations taking account of the nine protected characteristics:

• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• religion or belief (or lack of belief)
• race – including ethnic or national origin, colour, or nationality
• sex
• sexual orientation

Suppliers should take account of this commitment in all transactions with the EWC.

Welsh language

Similarly, the EWC is also committed to the Welsh language, treating both languages equally. All procurement activity may be conducted in English or Welsh, subject to the stated preference of the tenderer.

Data protection

All contractors or potential contractors are obliged to comply with the EWC’s rules, under the Data Protection Act 1998.

The EWC recognises that biodiversity is under pressure from a range of influences. We are committed to meeting our duty under the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, to seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity, so far as possible within the remit of our functions, and in so doing promote the resilience of ecosystems. The consideration of biodiversity and ecosystems is embedded into EWC business planning and day-to-day activities.

The Wales Biodiversity Partnership has published a Nature Recovery Action Plan (NRAP) which identifies six objectives to address the issues that are driving the decline in biodiversity in Wales, and to support recovery.

As an organisation that occupies an office building as a tenant only (i.e. we do not own or manage property or land) and whose functions are not directly connected to biodiversity and/or land management, the EWC is categorised by Welsh Government as a Group 1 organisation for the purposes of the duty. We aim to support the following three NRAP objectives through the actions and measures outlined in the table below:

NRAP Objective 1

Engage and support participation and understanding to embed biodiversity throughout decision-making at all levels

Embed biodiversity action across EWC functions:

• commitments are made to reduce organisational impact on the environment and published in our Annual Report
• opportunities for biodiversity action at EWC are limited but where action is taken (as detailed below) it is delivered through the day-to-day business of the Corporate Services function

Raise awareness across EWC:

• voluntary training opportunities on biodiversity are offered as part of the EWC all-staff training programme
• we provide information highlighting the importance and value of biodiversity to staff as part of the staff wellbeing programme

NRAP Objective 4

Tackle key pressures on species and habitats

Address key pressures:

• we comply with the Waste Separation Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2023.
• we reduce, reuse and recycle resources where possible e.g. through recycling waste appropriately, replacing disposable plastic cups with glassware, donating unwanted office equipment to charitable causes, using recycled products and encouraging minimal stationery consumption.
• we attempt to mitigate climate change, reduce energy consumption and increase decarbonisation e.g. adopting hybrid working, using movement sensitive lighting, external communications sent via email, virtual meetings encouraged and where travel is necessary, public transport used wherever possible.
• suppliers are required to use sustainable management practices and environmentally friendly products as part of the EWC procurement process

Use biodiverse and native nature based solutions:

• this is not applicable to EWC office environment

NRAP Objective 6

Put in place a framework of governance and support for delivery

Ensure governance for biodiversity within EWC:

• the EWC Corporate Services Manager is responsible for ensuring biodiversity actions and measures are taken as detailed, and developing additional measures wherever possible
• our compliance with our biodiversity duty is monitored and reviewed annually by the Director for Finance & Corporate Services

Provide capacity for biodiversity:

• staff participation in action for biodiversity is encouraged and supported through EWC Volunteering Policy

Support biodiversity action through partnerships:

• we cannot provide funding but support action for biodiversity as it encourages staff participation through its Volunteering Policy

Review

We will review and report on the measures we take to support the NRAP objectives and meet our duty annually, as part of the strategic and operational planning programme. In so doing we will seek to develop additional measures that we can take to maintain and enhance biodiversity and promote the resilience of ecosystems.

 Annual Report and Accounts for the year ending 31 March 2025

This document has been laid before the Welsh Parliament jointly by the Auditor General for Wales and the Cabinet Secretary for Education in accordance with Schedule 1 of the Education (Wales) Act 2014.

Performance report

Foreword from the Chairperson

As Chairperson of the Education Workforce Council, I am proud to reflect on a year of progress, in which we further strengthened our position as the trusted, professional regulator for the education workforce in Wales. Throughout 2024/25, the EWC has continued to deliver on its statutory functions, acting in the public interest to uphold standards across the education workforce.

The size and diversity of the workforce we regulate continues to grow. Following new legislation enacted in May 2024, we welcomed adult learning practitioners, and senior managers and principals in further education onto our Register. As a result, we now regulate 13 categories of practitioners, amounting to over 91,000 professionals across Wales.

As an organisation that is independent from government, our core work is funded solely by the annual registration fees paid by our registrants. In response to Welsh Government’s decision to no longer provide a subsidy towards registrants’ fees in 2024/25, the Council made a determination to draw on its financial reserves to keep fees unchanged. In making this decision, we sought to protect our registrants from a sudden increase, while ensuring the EWC remains financially stable and capable of delivering its core functions independently.

Looking forward, the Council is committed to highlighting the need to strengthen the legislation underpinning our work. There remain anomalies within our statutory functions, particularly regarding the custodianship of professional standards, minimum qualification requirements for each category of registration, and responsibility for the accreditation of these qualifications. We will continue to engage with government and stakeholders to ensure these areas are addressed in a way that enhances the professionalism and impact of our workforce, while strengthening the safeguarding of children and young people in all parts of Wales.

I would like to thank you, our registrants and stakeholders, for your expertise and commitment. This is vital to raising standards across the education system, and we are proud to support your important work.

Finally, on behalf of Council, following his decision to retire after 25 years of dedicated service, I would like to take this opportunity to extend a special thank you to EWC’s Chief Executive, Hayden Llewellyn. His outstanding leadership and unwavering dedication have been instrumental in shaping the EWC into the respected, high-performing organisation it is today. His commitment to supporting the education workforce and safeguarding learners and young people across Wales has left a lasting legacy. Thank you, Hayden.

Eithne Hughes
Chairperson, EWC

Foreword from the Chief Executive

The EWC’s Annual Report and Accounts provide the opportunity to reflect upon the progress we have made in achieving our strategic objectives during 2024/25, in line with statutory responsibilities under the Education (Wales) Act 2014.

Over the past year, we have seen the level and complexity of our core regulatory work increase. In parallel, we have also seen public awareness of this responsibility rise significantly.

The Register of Education Practitioners expanded again during the year, and now consists of over 91,000 individuals able to practise in Wales. This makes it the largest public Register in Wales and the widest of its type in education worldwide. We processed over 19,000 new applications for registration, our most since inception, and supported employers to ensure that their staff are correctly registered to practise in the roles in which they are employed.
During the year, we investigated and reviewed over 300 fitness to practise cases in relation to existing or prospective registrants. Our robust procedures ensured that our considerations were thorough and transparent, enabling us to take decisive action if required, to safeguard learners and young people. To complement this work, we held a public consultation on the Code of Professional Conduct and Practice and further developed our engagement with, and support to employers and supply agencies.

As well as regulating the workforce, we have continued to discharge our statutory duty to accredit and monitor initial teacher education (ITE) programmes for school teachers in Wales, to ensure compliance with the accreditation criteria underpinning this provision. Our processes ensure a stringent minimum standard of quality training for the next generation of teachers.

As the workforce regulator, the EWC has an important and unique role to play in influencing education policy in Wales in a positive way. We have participated in, and provided guidance to national steering groups covering a range of workforce matters, and responded to national consultations and calls for evidence. One of the most high-profile areas the EWC has commented on is the recruitment and retention to the education professions, where Wales is seeing declining patterns. Throughout all of this work, we have made extensive use of the data held on the Register to inform and influence policy development and workforce planning.

As I prepare to retire, we reaffirm our commitment to working in partnership with registrants and stakeholders, to enhance safeguarding and uphold the highest professional standards. I am confident that this important work will continue with strength and purpose in the year ahead.

Hayden Llewellyn
Chief Executive, EWC

Overview

This section highlights our key achievements and activities in 2024-25:

Objective 1: Be an effective independent, professional regulator, working in the public interest, and building confidence in the education workforce

• Received and processed over 19,000 new applications for registration.
• Maintained the Register of 91,253 registered education practitioners in Wales.
• Completed the registration of adult learning practitioners and FE senior leaders.
• Enabled over 150,000 online checks of the public Register.
• Over 13,278 views of the Code on our website.
• Concluded 284 fitness to practise, and suitability for registration cases.
• Imposed 14 Interim Suspension Orders, and reviewed 22 Interim Suspension Orders.
• Issued 1,206 qualified teacher status (QTS) awards, and processed 64 applications for QTS recognition from outside Wales.
• Issued 1,182 induction awards.
• Reaccredited four ITE programmes, and accredited two new programmes.
• Completed 12 Quality Mark for Youth Work in Wales assessments.

Objective 2: Support professionalism and learning within the education workforce

• Delivered over 300 registrant and stakeholder support sessions and presentations.
• Hosted eight national events.
• Released four new podcast episodes.
• Supported 3,574 NQTs and mentors as part of statutory induction.
• Delivered 31 induction support sessions.
• Supported registrants to develop their Professional Learning Passport (PLP), with almost 26,000 active users.
• Attracted 629,073 visits to the Educators Wales website.
• Advertised 6,436 vacancies on Educators Wales.
• Attended 233 events as Educators Wales.

Objective 3: Seek to inform, shape, and influence educational policy in Wales for the benefit of the education workforce

• Responded to 17 consultations/calls for evidence.
• Contributed to over 40 national steering groups.
• Provided detailed data analyses to Welsh Government and other stakeholders.
• Engaged with Welsh Government, politicians, and other stakeholders about strengthening the legislation underpinning the work of the EWC.
• Provided an independent secretariat service to the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body (IWPRB).

Objective 4: Be a resilient, capable, and financially sustainable organisation that offers value for money to registrants

• Achieved an unqualified audit opinion for 2023/24 Annual Report and Accounts.
• Received substantial assurance, with no recommendations, for five internal audit reviews.
• Incorporated best practice into our statutory responsibilities around equality, Welsh language, data protection, and the environment.
• Updated our cybersecurity infrastructure, and achieved Cyber Essentials certification as assurance.
• Responded to three subject access requests, and 18 freedom of information requests.
• Appointed and trained two new Council members, three new Fitness to Practise panel members, six new ITEA Board members, and six new Quality Mark assessors.
• Provided 12 professional learning and training activities for staff, Council members, and other members.
• Delivered five staff wellbeing sessions as part of a wider wellbeing programme to foster a positive and supportive workplace culture.

About us

The Education Workforce Council (EWC) is the independent, professional regulator for the education workforce in Wales.

Established by the Education (Wales) Act 2014, we regulate education practitioners in 13 different registration categories spanning schools, further education, youth work, adult learning, and work-based learning. Our Register of Education Practitioners (the Register) is the biggest public register of any profession in Wales, and the most wide-ranging register of education professionals in the world, with over 91,000 practitioners registered.

Vision

To be a trusted, independent, professional regulator, that works in the public interest to maintain professionalism and enhance standards within the education workforce in Wales.

Role and remit

The Education (Wales) Act 2014 formally sets out our role as an independent, professional regulator and strategic leader in the education sector in Wales. The Act also details the obligations that we have to our registrants, learners and young people, parents/guardians, and the public, and defines our aims and functions.

Our aims

• Contribute to improving the standards of teaching and the quality of learning in Wales.
• Maintain and improve standards of professional conduct amongst teachers and others who support teaching and learning in Wales.
• Safeguard the interests of learners, parents/guardians, and the public, and maintain public trust and confidence in the education workforce.

Our functions

• Establish and maintain a Register of Education Practitioners.
• Maintain a Code of Professional Conduct and Practice.
• Investigate and hear allegations that may call into question a registered practitioner's fitness to practise.
• Accredit and monitor programmes of school teacher ITE.
• Provide advice to Welsh Government and others.
• Monitor induction and hear induction appeals.
• Promote careers in the education workforce.
• Undertake specific work at the invitation of Welsh Government.

Our values

Fairness

We act fairly and with integrity to maintain standards and promote professionalism.

Support

We support the education workforce to maintain high standards of conduct and practice.

Excellence

We pursue excellence and endeavour to provide a high-quality service for registrants, stakeholders, learners and young people, parents/guardians, and the public.

Collaboration

We work in partnership with the education workforce and stakeholders to develop and promote excellence in teaching and learning.

Independence

We are independent and regulate in a way that is impartial and based on evidence.

Our people

Our Council is made up of 14 members who set the organisation’s strategic direction, and are responsible for its governance. This year, two new Council members were appointed to fill vacancies that had been outstanding since Council began its term in April 2023.

Each member is appointed for a four-year period. Seven members are appointed directly through the Welsh Government public appointments system, and seven are appointed following nomination from a range of stakeholders.

We currently employ over 55 members of staff. We also maintain and support:

• a pool of 53 fitness to practise panel members
• an ITE Accreditation Board of 15 members
• a pool of 45 assessors of the Quality Mark for Youth Work in Wales

Financial sustainability

As an independent, professional regulator funded by registration fees, we are strongly committed to operating within our means and using our resources efficiently. We strive to keep our registration fees as low as possible, whilst delivering the highest level of service in fulfilling our statutory duties. Like other regulators, we maintain adequate financial reserves to ensure stability and safeguard our services against potential risks from unexpected events.

We regularly lead activities on behalf of Welsh Government, where it is considered that we are the most appropriate body to carry out such work in Wales. In such instances, Welsh Government will cover our costs through project grant funding. We are also able to undertake commercial activities and do so where we consider this to be in the interests of registrants and the education sector in Wales.

Our Annual Report and Accounts are audited by Audit Wales each year and, thereafter, laid before the Senedd.

The Welsh language

We are committed to the Welsh language and are proud to be a bilingual organisation. We work with the Welsh Language Commissioner to ensure full compliance with the Welsh Language Standards.

Our Welsh Language Standards Monitoring Report 2024/25 sets out our compliance with the Welsh Language Standards, and outlines the work that we have undertaken over the last year to promote the use of the language, both among our own employees, and in engaging with registrants and other external stakeholders.

Equality and diversity

We embrace and champion the principles of equality and diversity, both inside our organisation and, within our remit, across the wider education workforce in Wales.

Our Annual Equality Report 2024/25 sets out the progress we have made in achieving our five equality objectives over the past year. Our Strategic Equality Plan 2024-28 outlines our ambitious equality objectives, and its accompanying action plan details how we aim to achieve them and how our success will be measured

Our Council and committee structures

The Council

• Sets our vision and strategic direction.
• Scrutinises performance.
• Holds the Chief Executive to account.

Executive Committee

Oversees:

• development of strategic and operational plans
• progress against operational and strategic objectives through reviewing quarterly reports, and the Annual Report and Accounts
• statutory schemes

Registration and Regulation Committee

Oversees:

• registration and maintenance of the Register
• the Code of Professional Conduct and Practice and fitness to practise
• accreditation of ITE programmes
• initiatives to assure quality and improve standards in teaching and learning

Audit and Scrutiny Committee

Oversees:

• finance and administration procedures
• risk management processes
• cyber security and data protection, and freedom of information
• activity performed by internal and external audit
• reports by the Auditor General for Wales

The senior management team (SMT) is responsible for our operations and management. The Chief Executive is responsible for our leadership, in accordance with the strategic direction set by the Council, and oversees the SMT.

Chief Executive - Hayden Llewellyn

Director of Finance and Corporate Services (and designated deputy Chief Executive) - Lisa Winstone

Director of Regulation - David Browne

Director of Professional Development, Accreditation and Policy - Bethan Holliday-Stacey

Strategic objectives 2024-25

Objective 1
Be an effective independent, professional regulator, working in the public interest and building confidence in the education workforce

1.1. Maintain a Register of Education Practitioners that is accurate and accessible.

1.2. Operate robust, fair, and transparent regulatory procedures which ensure that only those deemed suitable to practise may do so.

1.3 Shape the practice of registrants by developing and promoting high standards of conduct and professionalism.

1.4. Accredit and quality assure education programmes and provision in Wales.

1.5. Ensure visibility and understanding of the EWC’s work amongst registrants, parents/guardians, the public, and our stakeholders through effective, accessible, and responsive communication and engagement.

Objective 2
Support professionalism and learning, and promote careers within the education workforce

2.1. Provide a suite of guidance, resources, and professional services focused on supporting our registrants to uphold the key principles of the Code of Professional Conduct and Practice.

2.2. Lead and support initiatives to promote and encourage effective professional learning for registrants.

2.3. Lead and support initiatives to promote research engagement and help disseminate best practice to registrants.

2.4. Promote careers within the education workforce and drive improvement in recruitment.

Objective 3
Seek to inform, shape, and influence educational policy in Wales for the benefit of the education workforce

3.1. Provide independent advice, research, and analysis which serves to enhance standards, and inform and influence the development and delivery of education policy in Wales.

3.2. Collaborate with registrants, parents/guardians, the public, and our stakeholders to inform and influence education policy in Wales, helping to enhance standards.

3.3. Influence Welsh Government and other stakeholders to ensure that legislation underpinning our regulatory functions is sufficiently robust.

3.4. Act as Secretariat to the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body (IWPRB).

Objective 4
Be a resilient, capable, and financially sustainable organisation that offers value for money to registrants.

4.1. Manage resources effectively and sustainably to meet current and future needs, making appropriate use of technology to drive efficiency and improve our services.

4.2. Have effective planning, performance management, and compliance processes ensuring they incorporate best practice.

4.3. Be an excellent employer that promotes a supportive and inclusive culture where all staff, Council, and Committee/panel members feel valued and fully able to contribute.

4.4. Influence the Welsh Government and other stakeholders to ensure that legislation underpinning our independence, governance, and finances is fit for purpose.

Looking to the future

Our Strategic Plan 2025-28 sets out our priorities for the period, and reflects our statutory role and remit within the context of the broader education landscape in Wales.

Key activities for 2025/26 will include:

• continuing to undertake our statutory responsibilities effectively, efficiently, and sustainably:
  • delivering robust registration and regulation, ensuring that only those who are suitable and qualified to practise are able to do so
  • working with Welsh Government to ensure an appropriate registration fee model for the future, which is proportionate for registrants, and allows us to remain independent and financially sustainable
• highlighting to government and others, the need to strengthen the legislation that underpins our work, to address the anomalies in our statutory functions including:
  • the professional accreditation of such qualifications
  • custodianship of the professional standards for each registrant group
• appointing a new Chief Executive following the announcement that Hayden Llewellyn will be retiring on 11 August 2025
• publishing an EWC ‘manifesto’, setting out our position and priorities on key policy issues relevant to its remit, in the build-up to the 2026 Senedd elections
• continuing to work with Welsh Government and stakeholders in the FE and adult learning sectors to resolve the issues identified in the legislation enacted in May 2024, requiring these practitioners to register with the EWC
• supporting registrants to uphold the Code, and deliver the highest professional standards by providing and promoting useful information, resources, and services designed to offer guidance and direction
• shaping and influencing education policy in Wales, including providing and publishing advice on teaching and learning, and relevant matters relating to our registered workforce
• promoting careers in education, as well as undertaking work over and above that outlined in the Education (Wales) Act 2014 through Educators Wales, including targeted activity with individuals, partner organisations, and community groups in priority areas
• enhancing our digital services, including the launch of an upgraded registration database
• continuing to raise awareness of our role by strengthening our communications with registrants, stakeholders, and the public
• delivering Welsh Government funded work in line with agreed targets and timescales

Key risks and challenges

We have robust procedures in place to manage organisational risk. Our risk register ensures that areas identified are closely scrutinised and regularly reviewed by management. We provide further information about risk management in our Annual Governance Statement.

The majority of the risks in the risk register are ongoing risks, however, the following are considered to be particularly pertinent for the coming year.

Constraints

We are continuing to work with Welsh Government to develop a governance framework which is relevant and proportionate. Unlike many other public bodies, our core work is funded by our registrants through registration fees. The financial constraints which we operate within mean that it is essential for us to maintain good financial governance, and have a commensurate and transparent governance framework in place, relevant to our unique organisation.
Our registration fees have remained the same since we were established in 2015, and since 2008 for school teachers (when we were the General Teaching Council for Wales). We seek to achieve a balance between holding sufficient reserves to ensure our sustainability, and providing the highest level of service in fulfilling our statutory duties. We regularly review the fee levels and reserves of other regulators worldwide.

Future funding model

In March 2024, Welsh Government announced that it would not be providing registrants with a contribution towards their annual registration fees (known as a subsidy), for 2024/25. To avoid financial implications for our registrants, our Council agreed to cover the cost of the subsidy from our reserves. In March 2025, Welsh Government confirmed to us that it would be providing only a partial subsidy to registrants for 2025/26. In considering the financial repercussions for our registrants, our Council again agreed to use our reserves to cover the shortfall. We continue to work with Welsh Government to consider potential future funding models and their implications on the education workforce.

Registration database

We are in the process of upgrading our registration database to provide a comprehensive self-service system for registrants, employers, and the public. We will closely monitor the progress of this project and ensure there is no interruption to service.

Cyber security

Cyber security issues constitute a global threat, and organisations face ongoing risks, irrespective of size or business type. We have a range of measures and safeguards in place to maintain the security of our IT network, and the data held within it. These mechanisms will be monitored and further enhanced as necessary.

Change in key personnel

With Hayden Llewellyn retiring as Chief Executive on 11 August 2025, recruiting a new Chief Executive, suitably qualified to lead the EWC is imperative. During this transition we must ensure that we continue to meet our statutory functions, without any disruptions to our stakeholders, staff, or the high standard of service that we deliver. The loss of key personnel is listed within our risk register alongside clear processes and procedures to adopt in such instances, and is detailed within our business continuity planning. Recruitment for the position will be undertaken by an executive search agency, commencing in April 2025.

Performance analysis

Our Operational Plan for 2024/25 set out detailed actions and measures for each of our strategic objectives. Responsibility for achieving strategic objectives is distributed amongst senior officers, and further delegated to teams as appropriate. Progress was scrutinised by SMT in each monthly meeting, and by the Council and its Executive Committee through quarterly reviews, and through the presentation of annual monitoring reports. Details of our achievements against each of the objectives are set out below.

Objective 1: Be an effective independent regulator, working in the public interest and building confidence in the education workforce

Registration

The Register is integral to our work to ensure that high standards of professionalism are maintained within the workforce. It protects the public by ensuring that only those who meet and maintain our standards can work in regulated roles in Wales.

As at 31 March 2025, our Register held over 91,000 education practitioners, covering 13 groups within schools, further education, youth work, adult learning, and work-based learning. We processed our highest recorded number of new registration applications this year, at 19,058, with the largest number of applications coming from school learning support workers (12,972).

We have worked extensively with employers and agencies throughout the year to ensure they understand their legal obligations in appointing and employing staff who are EWC registered, and to advise them on how their access to the Register can help. Engagement work in this area has included corresponding with over 300 different employers/agencies, launching new employer/agency guidance, and holding seven Employer Forums to ensure full understanding of the legal obligations required for staff within each setting. Additionally, we developed and, in February 2025, announced an event (scheduled for 2025/26) aimed at senior leaders, employers, supply agencies, and governors. As well as sharing our knowledge and insights from over 25 years of regulatory work, the event will provide guidance on making referrals to the EWC, and the statutory requirement for employers/agencies to do so.

The public-facing Register, available via our website, enables employers, members of the public, and others to check the registration status of education practitioners. This plays a pivotal role in safeguarding learners and young people. Over 150,000 online checks were made between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025.We held 33 virtual sessions with universities and FE colleges to ensure that students, looking to join the education workforce once qualified, understand the legal requirements on them to register.

We also undertook several exercises this year to improve the completeness of records on the Register. This included contacting over 17,000 registrants whose records were not fully populated.

Case study: Supporting employers with compliance

In May 2024, we welcomed adult learning practitioners, and senior managers and principals working in FE onto our Register. This followed new legislation that also introduced minimum qualifications for those working as FE teachers and adult learning practitioners. We supported employers/agencies effected to implement the requirements outlined the new legislation and published guidance on our website. We have also worked closely with Welsh Government, Colegau Cymru, and employers to ensure the completeness of our qualifications data, to enable effective implementation of the requirement for minimum qualifications.

Suitability for registration

We require all applicants to declare their criminal, disciplinary, or regulatory history as part of their application to register, to ensure their suitability to practise. This ensures that only those who have the necessary skills, knowledge, and behaviours are able to register and work in the education professions in Wales. During 2024/25, we concluded a total of 208 assessments where applicants declared specific matters. This resulted in three individuals being deemed unsuitable to practise in the registered professions in Wales. In all cases, we have adhered to the timescales and standards set out in our published procedures.

During 2024/25, we commenced preliminary research and scoping intended to explore revalidation or professional update for EWC registrants. This work is set to continue in 2025/26 and beyond.

Fitness to practise

We have a statutory responsibility to investigate and, if necessary, hear cases of alleged unacceptable professional conduct, serious professional incompetence, and/or a conviction for a relevant offence. We carry out this work in the public interest to safeguard learners and young people, parents/guardians, and the public, and to maintain public trust and confidence in the education workforce.

Throughout the year we, along with other regulators, have found that casework is becoming increasingly complex. Interactions with other agencies such as Family Court and Police forces have become more frequent, leading to additional legal complexities when investigating casework. With our remit spanning 13 different categories of registration, we are also engaging with a wide variety of employers/agencies covering the education workforce.

We have undertaken extensive work to ensure robust communication and correspondence with a variety of organisations with a focus on safeguarding. Annually, we meet with all Police forces in Wales to ensure the correct data sharing protocols are in place and have regular meetings with safeguarding leads in all local authorities. We have continued to meet twice yearly with the National Independent Safeguarding Board to discuss matters pertinent to our remit concerning safeguarding. We also meet annually with the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, during which, safeguarding forms part of the agenda.

Additionally, this year, we were invited and attended a roundtable convened by the Children’s Commissioner, focussed on pupil safeguarding, where we were able to share our insight and expertise.

FTP casework

This year, we concluded 76 fitness to practise cases. This included 53 fitness to practise hearings, of which 48 took place online, and five in person. There are a range of sanctions that can be imposed as a result of this work. In the most serious of cases, 17 individuals were removed from the public Register, meaning they are unable to practice in the registered professions in Wales.

Our Fitness to Practise Annual Report 2024/25 provides detailed information on trends in our casework and the profile of those featured.

Interim suspension orders

Where there is a safeguarding risk to learners, young people, or the public, we have statutory powers to impose interim suspension orders (ISOs). This allows us to temporarily remove individuals from the Register, pending an investigation. In 2024/25, we imposed 14 new ISOs, and undertook 22 reviews of existing ISOs.

Induction appeals

We have responsibility for hearing appeals from NQTs who fail statutory induction, but are dissatisfied with such a decision. We did not receive any induction appeals during 2024/25.

Code of Professional Conduct and Practice

The Code sets out the standards expected of our registrants, and is intended to guide any judgements and decisions they make. It also informs learners and young people, parents/guardians, employers, and the public of the standards they can expect from a registered practitioner.

Failure to comply with the Code may call a person’s registration into question. It is therefore important that we support our registrants and stakeholders in understanding the requirements of the Code. In 2024/25, we:

• delivered 46 training sessions on the Code
• published four case studies providing clear, practical insights into the expectations and standards expected of registrants
• added to our suite of good practice guides which complement the Code and provide additional advice to registrants in relation to key areas of practice
• developed and published two short webinars in the Your EWC series: ‘Your EWC: Introduction to the EWC’ and ‘Your EWC: The Code of Professional Conduct and Practice’
• developed an inaugural employer event to share our knowledge and insights from over 25 years of regulatory work

The Education (Wales) Act 2014 requires us to review the Code and make any revisions which we consider appropriate within three years of each date of publication, and/or when a new category of registration is added. The Act also requires us to consult with any stakeholders who may have an interest in reviewing the Code. In January 2025, work commenced on the next scheduled review, which included asking stakeholders to share their views via a public consultation. Further engagement, including publishing a summary of responses from the public consultation, will continue ahead of publishing the revised Code in September 2025.

Case study: Regulatory case studies

We have continued to support our registrants in upholding the principles of the Code with our growing suite of resources and guidance, and through direct engagement, to scaffold their professional practice. In October, we published the first in a series of fitness to practise case studies providing clear, practical insights into the standards expected of registrants. In order to highlight some of the common challenges and pitfalls that can lead to a fitness to practise hearing, we have also continued to share our expertise through 46 bespoke sessions to registrants and stakeholders at institutions across Wales. We developed an event, scheduled to take place in 2025/26, aimed at senior leaders, employers, supply agencies, and governors, to share our knowledge and insights from over 25 years of regulatory work, drawing on our experience with more than 5,000 cases.

QTS and statutory induction

In order to practice as a school teacher in a maintained school, registrants must hold the professional qualification of QTS, and successfully complete a period of statutory induction. This year, we issued certificates to 1,206 people who gained QTS in Wales. We also assessed 56 applications for QTS recognition from applicants who gained qualifications outside of Wales. We issued 1,183 certificates to school teachers who successfully completed their induction.

ITE accreditation

All ITE programmes offered in Wales must be accredited by the EWC and monitored throughout the period of accreditation. We delegate this function to our ITE Accreditation Board (the board). In deciding whether to grant accreditation, the board considers whether the programme meets the Criteria for the accreditation of ITE programmes in Wales.

During the year, the board concluded accreditation activity for three new programmes and reaccreditation activity for five programmes. As a result, one programme had its accreditation withdrawn, one programme was refused accreditation and six programmes were accredited/reaccredited.

As a result of this activity, from September 2024 there were 15 programmes operational across six partnerships.

The EWC has worked closely with ITE partnerships, Welsh Government, and Estyn throughout the year to provide ongoing advice and support and ensure robust and proportionate accreditation processes and procedures.

Allocation of ITE intake numbers

In November 2024, in collaboration with Welsh Government, we allocated intake numbers to ITE partnerships for programmes commencing in September 2025. In recognising specific teacher shortages in Wales, we also outlined Welsh Government requirements for the recruitment of Welsh medium teachers, and teachers from black, Asian, and minority ethnic communities. We will continue to monitor recruitment to programmes in 2025/26 and report progress to Welsh Government on a monthly basis.

Quality Mark for Youth Work in Wales

We have held the contract for delivering the Quality Mark for Youth Work in Wales (the Quality Mark), in partnership with Education Training Standards (ETS) Wales, since January 2020. In December 2024, we were informed that our original contract to deliver this work had been extended until March 2026.

In 2024/25, we assessed 12 organisations (nine bronze, two silver, one gold). In total, 40 Quality Mark awards have been made.

We engaged extensively with the sector, and provided advice and guidance to organisations and individuals thinking about applying for the Quality Mark. We have developed and provided training on the Quality Mark to youth workers and youth support workers.

Communication and engagement

We have continued to strengthen our communication and engagement activity over the last year.

The second phase of our campaign to raise awareness of the EWC and our services amongst registrants and the general public launched in April 2024, and focussed primarily on engaging with parents/guardians. Concluding in December 2024, highlights included the launch of the new ‘Your EWC’ webinar series, multiple social media mini campaigns, and partnerships with other organisations.

Our online training, support sessions, and presentations have been further complemented by our growing suite of On-demand recordings, including two of our key organisational videos published with British Sign Language interpretation. This year we also published a new suite of case study videos showcasing the Professional Learning Passport (PLP) and how it is helping organisations in Wales support their staff’s professional learning and development.

We have also continued to develop our website to improve the user’s experience, branding, navigation, and layout. We have also made further improvements in accessibility as a result of a compliance audit with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2. Through regularly seeking feedback, we continue to implement improvements where appropriate. All of this has helped us to attract over 894,913 page views of our website (an increase from 852,841 last year).

This year we have released eight registrant newsletters, and published two guest blogs from prominent figures in education, as well as two blogs about EWC work. We also engage with our registrants and stakeholders through our social media accounts, growing our audiences on both LinkedIn (839 followers), and Facebook (711 followers). Until December 2024, we also had an account on X (formally Twitter). The decision to discontinue our presence on that channel came following a number of changes to the platform which made it increasingly difficult for us to align our presence there with the values and principles we uphold as an organisation.

We correspond with registrants, stakeholders and the public on a daily basis through email and telephone communications.

We featured regularly in the media this year, with particular interest in our fitness to practise work. However there has also been press interest in other topics such as our annual workforce statistics, our events and webinars, and the Quality Mark for Youth Work.

Objective 2: Support professionalism and learning, and promote careers within the education workforce

Supporting registrants’ professional practice

We host a range of events for registrants, focussing on supporting them in key areas of practice. This has included a webinar series aimed at raising awareness of our role and the services we offer, with a particular focus on the Code and how to comply with it.

In addition, we have also continued to use our two showpiece events (the annual Professionally Speaking lecture, and Masterclass) to showcase innovative ideas and world-class speakers across a variety of topics.

Case study: Professionally Speaking

In January 2025, we were delighted to welcome internationally respected academic Professor Rose Luckin as the keynote speaker of our annual lecture, Professionally Speaking. The event was attended by more than 500 people who heard an engaging discussion on the topic of Embracing AI in education. The event covered insights into future trends that educators should anticipate and practical applications of AI, as well as suggesting some strategies for leveraging AI to improve educational outcomes. It also looked at ethical considerations and safeguarding measures, and posed questions for practitioners to reflect on, before welcoming attendees to participate in an interesting Q&A session.

Developing relationships and collaborations to promote professionalism and equity

This year, we have continued to collaborate with partner organisations to develop additional guidance, resources, and professional services for our registrants. An equitable education profession is essential to building an inclusive environment for practitioners and learners. Throughout the year, we have collaborated with a number of partners/organisations to highlight relevant matters within the education workforce. This has included:

• establishing a formal partnership with Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team Wales (EYST) to promote careers to individuals from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds
• providing oral evidence to EYST’s review of recommendations from reports published into racism in schools in Wales
• partnering with DARPL and other stakeholders to develop and promote their second national conference
• a Masterclass on Leading Reflective Practice – Reviewing the Evidence in June 2024, led by Professor Carol Campbell, from the University of Glasgow, and a good practice guide on the subject published in November 2024
• inviting Education Support to participate in our podcast episode on wellbeing
• collaborating with NAEL on a panel discussion at the Urdd Eisteddfod discussing reflective practice

Induction

We administer funding, recording, and tracking arrangements for school teachers’ statutory induction on behalf of Welsh Government. Following the announcement of changes to the induction programme in Wales, officers worked closely with our database and eServices developers to ensure that the online induction profile, and accompanying documentation and guidance, were updated to reflect this. We have continued to work closely with local authorities, the regional consortia, mentors, NQTs, and Welsh Government. In 2024/25, this work included:

• supporting over:
  • 2,600 new teachers
  • 900 induction mentors
  • 400 external verifiers, short term supply induction mentors, and induction validators
  • 750 schools (as part of the induction programme)
• distributing funding for induction of £3.38 million to schools
• releasing over £1.63 million to the regional consortia to support external verifiers
• providing tailored administrative support to each of the regional consortia
• providing online services, helpdesk facilities, and demonstrations to schools, the regional consortia, local authorities, external verifiers and all registered practitioners accessing their induction profile

National e-portfolio - Professional Learning Passport (PLP)

We continued to develop and maintain a national e-portfolio for our registrants to support them to plan, record, and reflect on their professional experiences and learning, and interact with their professional standards. As at 31 March 2025, there were almost 26,000 active users of the PLP, with almost 750 new accounts since 1 April 2024.

We have provided online training and support throughout the year to help registrants to use the PLP, worked with partners to develop bespoke workbooks within the PLP, and developed a short animation promoting the benefits of the PLP.

Supporting practitioner research

In line with our research strategy, we have continued to promote and support research engagement across our registrant groups, as another strand of work to help our registrants comply with specific aspects of our Code.

We offer a range of online resources for registrants to encourage close to practice research, including providing free access to the EBSCO package of academic journals and e-books. We use Meddwl Mawr, our book and journal club, to raise awareness of EBSCO, and encourage registrants to engage with this free resource. During 2024/25, we recommended 16 books covering topics such as learner behaviour, attainment levels, diversity among educators, workload management, neurodiversity in children, mindfulness, and the relationship between play and education.

Promoting careers in education

We have a statutory function to promote careers within the education professions in Wales, and have continued to build the Educators Wales brand and platform to support recruitment and career progression.

We have enhanced the Educators Wales website using feedback from our service users. The platform’s jobs portal provides support for employers advertising job vacancies, making it easier for educators to find their next role. This year, the website has attracted 629,073 visitors and, for the second year running, the Educators Wales job portal has consistently advertised more job vacancies than any comparable provider in Wales.

We also continued to work with partners to implement specific action plans for priority recruitment areas, including supporting ITE partnerships with their plans to recruit to priority subjects, and to attract more black, Asian and minority ethnic, and Welsh speaking educators.

Through our promotion and advocacy service, we have offered support to individuals, employers, and education establishments, with Educators Wales represented at over 230 events - engaging with thousands of individuals interested in a career in education.

Educators Wales in numbers

• 629,300 visitors to the Educators Wales website.
• 6,436 vacancies posted on the jobs portal.
• 704 queries or requests for advice.
• 163 recruitment events attended (included in the 230 above).
• 16 demonstrations of the platform to organisations and employers.
• 12,177 educator profiles, 68 provider profiles, 704 Employer profiles, and 845 employer user profiles.

Objective 3: Seek to inform, shape, and influence educational policy in Wales for the benefit of the education workforce

Supporting educational policy

We are committed to contributing to and influencing, the development of policy in the interests of our registrants.

The Chairperson, Chief Executive, and senior officers meet regularly with key figures in education in Wales, including the Cabinet Secretary for Education, senior Welsh Government officials, and education leads from each of the political parties represented in the Senedd. We also work closely with organisations such as trade unions and a wide range of professional and employer bodies covering education within their remit.

We participated in, and contributed to, over 40 high-profile national groups, with remits covering schools, FE, work-based learning, and youth work. These groups focussed on key workforce matters such as safeguarding in education, workforce development and developing Welsh language skills amongst educational practitioners.

In January 2025, we participated in two roundtable discussions, contributing our views and expertise on matters directly affecting our registrants. The first, hosted by Education Support, was also attended by Welsh Government representatives and a range of trade unions, and focussed on the topic of ‘A thriving school workforce in Wales: working together to improve the wellbeing and job satisfaction of our teachers and school staff’. The second, convened by the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, focussed on learner safeguarding where we were able to share our insight and expertise.

Case study: Being a key stakeholder voice for the education workforce

One of the statutory functions of the EWC is to provide advice on matters related to those we regulate. We regularly respond to consultations and calls for evidence to advocate on behalf of the education workforce, using our knowledge and expertise to positively influence the education system in Wales. Notably this year, these included:

• providing detailed evidence to the Senedd’s Children and Young People’s Education Committee to assist their inquiry into the Welsh Language and Education Bill
• an oral evidence session on EYST’s review of recommendations from reports published into racism in schools in Wales looking specifically at the monitoring and recording of racist incidents, sharing best practice, and mental health and culturally appropriate support
• shaping the Youth Work Workforce Development Plan, responding to the public consultation, and through the Workforce Development Implementation Participation Group, of which our Chief Executive was a member

Evidence-based policy advice

Data and analysis

Our Register provides a wealth of valuable data to inform and influence policy and workforce planning in Wales. It is frequently quoted and referenced in the Senedd, by trade unions, and in the media.

In July 2024, we published our Annual Education Workforce Statistics for Wales, detailing the composition of the registered workforce across schools, further education, work-based learning, and youth work settings. Following its publication, we hosted a stakeholder briefing event in October 2024, presenting an overview of the data and highlighting key workforce trends. For the first time in 2024, this included information on teachers and learning support staff working in independent schools and colleges.

In August 2024, we published Initial Teacher Education student results for 2023/24, confirming the numbers being awarded Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Our Register also offers unique and valuable insights into the recruitment and retention challenges facing education settings in Wales. We are able to use this to provide advice and guidance to Welsh Government and other stakeholders. This year, we have provided or commenced work on a number of significant data packages to support Welsh Government. For example, undertaking work (due to conclude in 2025/26) tracking the progress and impact of Welsh Government’s Initial Teacher Education Incentives schemes, as well as other professional bodies or organisation, including the IWPRB.

Case study: Policy briefing – learning support workers

In November 2024, we hosted a policy briefing, using the latest data from our Register to explore key issues affecting learning support workers in Wales. The event covered critical topics, such as recruitment and retention, deployment, Welsh language capacity, workforce diversity, and professional learning, and some of the challenges faced by the workforce.

A panel of experts, including learning support practitioners with expertise in the secondary sector and in special educational needs, shared their honest reflections of their roles in their settings, and more generally across Wales. This led to an engaging Q&A session, with insightful questions and an inspiring discussion.

Legislative matters

While legislation underpinning our regulatory functions has been strengthened this year through the addition of two new categories of practitioners to the Register and the introduction of minimum qualification for FE teachers in Wales, we believe that there are further legislative anomalies to be addressed. These include custodianship of professional standards, minimum qualifications for all registrant groups, and professional accreditation of such minimum qualifications. This year, we have continued to highlight these anomalies to government and others, aiming to further support us to robustly maintain standards amongst education practitioners, and safeguard learners, young people, and the public, as we were established to do.

Independent Welsh Pay Review Body (IWPRB)

As the independent secretariat to the IWPRB, we play a key role in facilitating the work of the review board. This has included supporting the IWPRB to produce reports on a variety of issues affecting the teaching workforce, including a strategic review into the structure of school teachers' and leaders' pay and conditions, and a report relating to supply teachers. This year, we supported the IWPRB in submitting its fifth pay review report to the Cabinet Secretary for Education, in June 2024. The report, including recommendations for amendments to teachers’ pay and conditions in Wales, was published by Welsh Government in September 2024.

Objective 4: Be a resilient, capable, and financially sustainable organisation that offers value for money to registrants.

Finance

Our 2023/24 Annual Report and Accounts were laid before the Senedd in August 2024, which we once again received an unqualified audit opinion for.

In 2024/25, five areas were subject to an internal audit review:

• governance – operational performance management
• key financial control
• registrations
• ICT Security – cyber security
• UK General Data Protection Regulations

All five reviews received the highest audit opinion of substantial assurance with no recommendations made.

For the financial year ending 31 March 2025, we reported a deficit of £1,481,000 (£1,113,000 deficit at 31 March 24) and total net assets of £4,329,000 (£5,603,000 at 31 March 24).

Reserves play a critical role within our overall financial management approach and are integral to the successful delivery of the EWC Strategic Plan. They enable the organisation to manage risk effectively, ensure business continuity, and continuation of our ability to deliver against our statutory duties when faced with unforeseen and unforeseeable issues, either of a financial or service nature. A Reserves Policy is in place, setting out a minimum level of general reserve to safeguard our work. This is reviewed and approved by Council annually as part of the budget setting process.

Cost effective services

As our core functions of registration and regulation are funded by registration fees, it is essential that we operate within our means and use our resources efficiently. We undertake extensive benchmarking exercises, researching regulators across the world to monitor our fee levels and ensure that any proposals for future models are fair and consistent with other organisations with a regulatory remit.

We have continued to make improvements to our IT infrastructure and facilities to ensure we offer our registrants value for money for their annual fees. Throughout 2024/25, work has been ongoing to upgrade our registration database which will further improve performance efficiency, enable us to record more in-depth data, and enhance our registrants’ user journey. The upgraded database will be launched in 2025/26.

Our people

We are committed to equal opportunities and have well established approaches to the recruitment, development, and promotion of staff. Our recruitment processes are continually monitored and tested to ensure compliance with Welsh Language Standards and equality responsibilities. In 2024/25, we made 13 appointments, two of which were internal.

Staff development

Our staff are our most valuable asset, and we are committed to supporting their continuous growth through comprehensive training and development opportunities, that align with our organisational objectives. During 2024/25, our all-staff training included provision on domestic abuse awareness and LGBTQ+ awareness, reflecting our commitment to equality and diversity. In addition to organisation-wide training, individual staff are also able to request specific training for themselves, as part of the performance and development review process. These requests are carefully considered and supported where appropriate, to meet both individual and organisational needs

Staff wellbeing

We are committed to creating a physical environment and workplace culture that promotes positive physical and mental health, and wellbeing. We provide staff with free access to a confidential employee assistance support helpline and a suite of webinars from Care First, covering a range of health and wellbeing topics. In September 2024, we acquired access to a dedicated wellness hub for staff, providing a range of resources promoting health, fitness and wellbeing, including an NHS approved app for the prevention, early detection, and self-management of common mental health conditions.

In addition, we have an ongoing staff wellbeing programme through which colleagues are encouraged to participate in a range of activities designed to promote their physical and mental health. There are also four mental health first aiders within the organisation trained to support their colleagues.

Supporting members

Council members have extensive experience from across the education sector, with knowledge spanning all of the Council’s 13 registrant groups, as well as a lay presence. Appointments to the Council are made through the Welsh Government public appointments process every four years. The Chairperson is elected by the Council itself. The current Council was appointed on 1 April 2023 with six new appointments and six members continuing for a further term of four years. Following further recruitment activity, the remaining two members were appointed in July 2024.

We also maintain and support a pool of independent fitness to practise panel members, ITE Accreditation Board members, and Quality Mark assessors. Throughout the year, we have undertaken a number of recruitment exercises to ensure we have sufficient numbers of members with the appropriate knowledge and expertise.

All members undertake induction training before commencing their roles and we hold regular formal training sessions with input from a range of speakers such as other regulatory bodies, legal advisors, and experts within specialised educational fields. Members are encouraged to identify any further training that we can provide to support them in fulfilling their roles.

IT security

We have rigorous mechanisms in place to ensure the security of our IT network and the data held within it. We achieved Cyber Essentials certification in May 2024, and undertake payment card industry data security standards compliance checks on a quarterly basis. We provided mandatory online cyber security training to all staff, and carried out regular phishing testing to maintain staff awareness of cyber issues. We are working towards obtaining Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation during 2025/26. In November and December 2024, the IT Manager and senior management team attended a Welsh Government Senior Leadership Engagement and Training event aimed at supporting organisations to develop the maturity of their Cyber Incident Management Plans (CIMP).

Data protection and Freedom of Information

We have robust policies and procedures in place to monitor and ensure compliance with data protection requirements.

Training on data protection is given to all staff, Council members, ITE board members, panel members, and Quality Mark Assessors. This provision is tailored to suit audience requirements and reviewed annually.

We undertook an annual review of the data quality and completeness we hold on the Register, resulting in over 17,000 registrants being contacted to ensure that their records were up to date.

In 2024/25, we responded to three subject access requests and 18 freedom of information requests.

Welsh language

We are committed to the Welsh language and proud to operate as a bilingual organisation, offering services to registrants in both Welsh and English.

We are required to comply with 148 Welsh Language Standards covering service delivery, operational matters, policy-making, and record keeping. All staff members have a responsibility to ensure that we meet these standards.

This year, we have supported the Welsh Language Commissioner’s intention for a more proactive approach to co-regulation by responding to their calls for evidence on new regulatory outcomes, key lines of enquiry, and a revised enforcement policy.

We published our annual Welsh Language Standards Monitoring Report in August 2024, setting out our commitment to, and compliance with, the standards.

Equality

We are committed to promoting inclusivity and equality within the sector and ensuring that we, as employers, promote fairness and diversity, and work towards the creation of a fairer Wales. Our Strategic Equality Plan sets out how we will work towards achieving equality of opportunity, both within our organisation, and across the wider education workforce in Wales. Following publication of the updated Anti-racist Wales Action Plan by Welsh Government in November 2024, we reviewed and refreshed our Strategic Equality Plan accordingly to ensure alignment.

Our last Annual Equality Report, reviewed our progress against the objectives set out in the Strategic Equality Plan, was published in August 2024.

Case Study: Our commitment to continually improving accessibility

We are committed to making all of our services, engagement, and communication as accessible as possible, and continually evaluating ourselves to identify areas for improvement. This year we have:

• published two of our key corporate animation videos with British Sign Language
• facilitated 13 requests for reasonable adjustments at events and training sessions
• recorded 20,547 uses of the ReachDeck accessibility tool on our website
• undertaken a comprehensive review of our Integrated Impact Assessment process
• actively worked to further improve the accessibility of our website, following advice received from a WCAG 2.2 AA standard audit
• attended a training event hosted by the Digital Accessibility Centre and consequently updated our website to further improve its accessibility

Environmental and community matters

We are committed to minimising our impact on the environment, in line with the duties outlined in the Environment (Wales) Act 2016. We have published a statement on the Section 6 Biodiversity and Resilience of Ecosystems Duty on our website, which we reviewed this year.

Consultation with employees and stakeholders

Employees

We recognise the importance of communication with all employees, and of keeping them informed of internal and external developments.

As well as our formal annual staff review arrangements, we have a range of more informal means of working collaboratively, including a calendar of meetings and updates, staff library, and an intranet. We also hold an annual staff planning day each December, where staff discuss, and help inform the development of, our suite of organisational plans. Based on staff feedback, this year we introduced an additional staff engagement day (in June 2024). This will now be an annual event, alongside the annual planning session.

The employee forum also provides staff with an opportunity to discuss and influence the EWC’s work in areas such as health and safety, wellbeing, office environment, and the Welsh language.

Stakeholders

We meet regularly with our stakeholders and partners in the education sector, using a variety of channels to engage and consult on a range of activities.

We have led two formal consultations this year in relation to our Strategic Plan 2025-28 and our Code of Professional Conduct and Practice.

We have also engaged widely with registrants and stakeholders, across all sectors, as part of the numerous projects we have led throughout the year.

Hayden Llewellyn
Chief Executive
10 July 2025

Accountability report

Corporate governance report

Directors’ Report

Council

The Council has 14 members, including seven members appointed by Welsh Ministers from nominees of organisations set out in Schedule 2 of the Education Workforce Council (Membership and Appointment) (Wales) Regulations 2014, and seven members appointed directly by Welsh Ministers. The Council governance and committee structures are covered in more detail in the performance report.

Members for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 were:

• Eithne Hughes, Chairperson
• Bethan Thomas
• David Edwards (since 2 September 2024)
• David Williams
• Geraint Williams
• Gwawr Taylor
• Jane Jenkins
• Karl Jones (since 2 September 2024)
• Kathryn Robson
• Kelly Edwards
• Nicola Stubbins
• Rosemary Jones
• Sue Walker
• Theresa Evans-Rickards

In addition, the Audit & Scrutiny Committee includes one lay member (Alison Jarvis).

Senior officers

Senior officers for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 were:

• Chief Executive - Hayden Llewellyn
• Director of Finance & Corporate Services - Lisa Winstone
• Director of Professional Development, Accreditation & Policy - Bethan Holliday-Stacey
• Director of Regulation - David Browne

The Council maintains a Register of Members’ interests, available on the website, which reports any interests which are, or may be, relevant to their work as a member of Council. Senior officers are required not to hold any remunerated post which would conflict with their duties for the EWC, and any other unpaid positions are reported. Details of transactions with related parties including Council members and senior officers are disclosed at note 21 to the Accounts.

Statement of Council’s and Chief Executive’s responsibilities

Under Paragraph 21 of Schedule 1 to the Education (Wales) Act 2014, the EWC is required to prepare, for each financial year, a statement of accounts in the form, and on the basis set out in the Accounts Direction. The Accounts are prepared on an accruals basis and must give a true and fair view of the EWC’s state of affairs at the year-end, and of its income and expenditure, and cash flows for the financial year.

In preparing the Accounts, the EWC is required to comply with the requirements of the Government Financial Reporting Manual and in particular to:

• observe the Accounts Direction issued by Welsh Government, including the relevant accounting and disclosure requirements, and apply suitable accounting policies on a consistent basis
• make judgements and estimates on a reasonable basis
• state whether applicable accounting standards, as set out in the Government Financial Reporting Manual, have been followed, and disclose and explain any material departures in the financial statements
• prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis

The responsibilities of the Chief Executive, are set out in Managing Welsh Public Money, published by Welsh Government including responsibility for:

• the propriety and regularity of the public finances (for which the Chief Executive is answerable)
• keeping proper records
• safeguarding the EWC’s assets

As Chief Executive, I confirm that:

• as far as I am aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the EWC’s auditors are unaware
• I have taken all the steps that I ought to have taken to make myself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the EWC’s auditors are aware of that information
• this Annual Report and Accounts as a whole is fair, balanced, and understandable, and that I take personal responsibility for this Annual Report and Accounts and the judgments required for determining that it is fair, balanced, and understandable

Annual Governance Statement

The EWC is committed to attaining high standards of governance in achieving its corporate objectives, including the proper management and control of its resources. This statement describes the governance arrangements for the EWC in 2024/25 and the EWC’s risk and control framework, concluding with an assessment of their effectiveness in the year.

As an independent, professional regulator and a public body, the EWC is not legislatively bound by the central government Corporate Governance Code, although it chooses to follow many of its principles to nourish its practices. As part of their terms of appointment and subsequent suite of governing procedures, Council members are required to adopt the Nolan principles of public life through the EWC’s Code of Conduct and Best Practice for Members. This Code is influenced by the Code of Conduct for Board Members of a Public Body (issued by the Cabinet office in 2011 and reviewed in 2019), Committee on Standards in Public Life (The Nolan Committee), and the additional principles outlined in The Conduct of Members (Principles) (Wales) Order 2001.

Role of the Education Workforce Council

The principal aims and functions of the EWC are to:

• contribute to improving the standards of teaching and the quality of learning in Wales
• maintain and improve standards of professional conduct amongst teachers and others who support teaching and learning in Wales
• safeguard the interests of learners, parents/guardians, and the public, and maintain public trust and confidence in the education workforce

Governance framework

The governance framework consists of the systems and processes employed in the achievement of its activities, and is underpinned by the mission, vision, and values of the EWC. It enables the EWC to monitor and control its operations.

The Education Workforce Council is a body corporate, established by the Education (Wales) Act 2014 and various Welsh Government Regulations, including the EWC (Main Functions) (Wales) Regulations 2015. The Council members (refer to directors’ report for further information) are required to comply with the Code of Conduct and Best Practice for Members.

Members sit on one of three Council standing committees: Executive Committee, Registration & Regulation Committee, and Audit & Scrutiny Committee. The Council meets three times annually (although six meetings were held in 2024/25 to consider additional items), and typically each committee also meets three times annually, with business reported to the next Council meeting. In addition, the Council has established a Performance Review Committee, consisting of the Chairperson and two other members which agrees the performance assessment of the Chief Executive, confirms the award of any increment, and sets the objectives for the future year.

The governance framework is formalised through the EWC’s Standing Orders, which set out how the Council and committees’ function. In support of that are a series of policies and procedures detailing how the EWC operates and the process for achievement of corporate objectives. These make up the EWC’s system of internal control.

The Chairperson is responsible for providing effective strategic leadership on matters such as formulating the EWC’s strategy for discharging its statutory duties, encouraging high standards of propriety, and promoting efficient and effective use of staff and other resources throughout the EWC, and ensuring that the EWC, in reaching decisions, takes proper account of its statutory responsibilities.

Members’ roles are strategic and include focussing on corporate strategy, key strategic objectives and targets, approval of major policy documents, and major decisions involving the use of financial and other resources. Under Standing Orders, the Council may delegate responsibility for specified matters to committees of the Council, the Chairperson, or the Chief Executive. Council members and officers have complementary responsibilities with regard to the formulation and implementation of Council policy.

Responsibility for day‑to‑day management is delegated to the Chief Executive and senior staff, within a clear framework of strategic control by Council members. The Chief Executive has responsibility, under the Council, for the overall organisation, management, and staffing of the EWC, including:

• ensuring that the EWC complies with all relevant legislation
• monitoring compliance with EWC’s internal policies and regulations
• staff conduct and discipline

He is responsible for the EWC’s proper corporate governance, the effective management of the executive, its financial management, and communications with stakeholders. In his absence, the Chief Executive has established deputising arrangements with the Director of Finance and Corporate Services covering the role.

The Chief Executive is supported by his senior management team (SMT) which comprises of three directors as senior officers, listed in the directors’ report. The SMT meets on a monthly basis. Its remit is to advise the Chief Executive on progress against its primary activities, to confirm resource allocation, to monitor and control management accounts based on agreed budgets, to review and amend the risk register, and to review and approve new and revised policies affecting all aspects of the EWC’s operations.

In 2024/25, the EWC committed to four corporate objectives, namely to:

• be an effective independent, professional regulator, working in the public interest and building confidence in the education workforce
• support professionalism and learning, and promote careers within the education workforce
• seek to inform, shape, and influence educational policy in Wales for the benefit of the education workforce
• be a resilient, capable, and financially sustainable organisation that offers value for money to registrants

Objectives are interpreted into activities via the three-year strategic, and annual operational plans. Operational and financial performance is overseen by the Executive Committee via quarterly reviews which report on achievements against objectives for the reported period. Financial accountability is achieved via the annual budget-setting, based on approved plans, with production of monthly management accounts, which are scrutinised by the SMT. The format of the Annual Accounts is based on the Treasury’s Financial Reporting Manual. This ensures clarity about disclosure of financial performance. These Accounts, and the supporting financial systems, are then subject to external audit, confirming their accuracy and disclosure compliance and the regularity of financial transactions.

Risk and control framework

The risk and control framework is underpinned by the risk management policy, which forms a key strand of the EWC’s internal control and corporate governance arrangements. The policy is aligned to the main principles outlined in HM Treasury’s Orange Book, although this has not been formally adopted as an approach for the EWC. The policy acknowledges that it is not possible to eliminate all risk but through the risk register, documents the processes by which risk is reduced to an acceptable level. It also notes that whilst the SMT is responsible for managing the risks, all staff have a role in identifying new potential risks. The policy is reviewed bi-annually, and next due for review in July 2025.

The risk register details all key threats to achieving the corporate objectives, agreed in the strategic and operational plans. Each key risk is given a score based on its potential impact on the business of the EWC and its likelihood of occurring. The management strategy involves accepting, avoiding, reducing, or transferring risks in response. Specific actions required are identified, allocated to a senior manager, and actioned by set deadlines. The risk register includes an evaluation of the level of ‘residual risk’ after the application of the control. Both opening and residual risks are represented using the traffic light warning system, and are coloured accordingly (red/amber/green). All risks were considered at the SMT quarterly review.

At the year-end, the Risk Register included the following main risks:

Download Welsh Language Standards Monitoring Report 2024/25

Introduction

The Education Workforce Council (EWC) is the independent, professional regulator for the education workforce in Wales.

Established by the Education (Wales) Act 2014, we regulate education practitioners in 13 different registration categories spanning schools, further education (FE), youth work, and adult/work-based learning. Our Register of Education Practitioners is the biggest public register of any profession in Wales, and the most wide-ranging register of education professionals in the world, with over 91,000 practitioners registered.

We are included in category four of the Welsh language standards. This requires us to comply with 148 standards covering service delivery, operational matters, policy making, and record keeping. Our standards of service policy, and guidance on using and promoting the Welsh language internally, (reviewed biennially and annually respectively), explain how we will act in accordance with the requirements of the standards, and follows the principle that Welsh and English have equal status in our work and administration. They also recognise our responsibility to promote and develop the use of Welsh within our workplace and the wider education workforce in which our registrants practice.

Alongside these documents, this annual report sets out our compliance with the Welsh language standards during 2024/25, detailing how we have worked to promote use of the language, both amongst our own employees, and in engaging with registrants and external stakeholders. 

Our standards, compliance and monitoring

All employees have a responsibility to ensure that they comply with the standards, which are available to both employees and service users on our website (in compliance with operational standard 149). We also publish information on our website detailing our compliance with the Welsh language standards.

Compliance with the Welsh language standards is a standing agenda item at monthly senior management team meetings. Responsibility for monitoring compliance with the standards lies with the Director of Professional Development, Accreditation and Policy. This annual report, detailing our compliance with the standards, has been reviewed by our Executive Committee before being discussed and approved by our Council.

Should the Welsh Language Commissioner request information regarding any aspect of our compliance with the standards, we are under a duty to provide it. We have continued to engage constructively with the Welsh Language Commissioner over the course of the reporting period, not only regarding our efforts to promote and encourage the use of the Welsh language but also to seek their advice on service provision and good practice. 

Compliance

Service delivery standards

Written correspondence

When the preferred language of the person we are contacting is unknown, or when writing to groups of people (such as through email newsletters) our initial correspondence is always bilingual, with Welsh on the left or on top so that it appears first. Where we know the language preference, communication is then conducted in that language. When someone writes to us using both Welsh and English, we provide a bilingual response.

Our letterheads include a statement welcoming correspondence in Welsh and confirming that using Welsh will not cause any delay in our response.

All email signatures and/or email footers include bilingual job titles and contact details and Welsh in the Workplace logos for employees who choose to include it, and who are fluent speakers or learners. All out of office replies are in Welsh and English as standard.

Telephone calls

Our main telephone number connects to an automated system which greets the caller bilingually (Welsh message first). Thereafter, the system allows the caller to choose whether they wish to speak to an employee in Welsh or English. We have trained employees on how to deal with calls in order to ensure that callers receive the best service in the language of their choice.

If a caller, whose preferred language is Welsh, wishes to speak to someone with specific expertise, who is not a Welsh speaker, they are informed of this and asked whether they are content to proceed with the conversation in English, before being transferred.

On occasions when a call from an individual whose preferred language is Welsh needs to be transferred to a specific department during a time when all Welsh speaking staff are unavailable, the caller is given three options: to remain on hold, to leave their contact details and receive a call back as soon as possible, or be transferred to a member of staff with whom they can continue their call in English (demonstrating compliance with operational standard 17). A summary of the number of calls received during 2024/25, in Welsh and English, is provided below:

Meetings

When arranging meetings, we confirm the preferred language of attendees in advance, and offer simultaneous translation, if required.

The Council conducts its meetings bilingually by agreement of Council members, employing a simultaneous translation service to ensure that all participants and observers can follow proceedings. Minutes of the public Council meetings are approved bilingually by the Council and published bilingually on our website.

Events

Over the last year, we have hosted several events to promote our work and engage with registrants and stakeholders, namely:

• Masterclass: Leading reflective practice – from evidence to effective action (June 2024)
• Annual Education Workforce Statistics 2024 stakeholder briefing event (October 2024)
• Policy Briefing: Learning support workers in Wales: trends, challenges, and policy pathways (November 2024)
• Professionally Speaking lecture: Embracing AI in education: opportunities, challenges, and ethical considerations (January 2025)

We provide full simultaneous translation at all public events that we organise, enabling presenters and audience members to participate in Welsh or English. All such events during the reporting year have been virtual, via Zoom, which allows simultaneous translation to be provided.

At all events that took place during the reporting period, the event’s host addressed the audience bilingually in the opening and closing remarks. Welsh language speakers have presented their items through the medium of Welsh with a simultaneous translation service provided for non-Welsh speakers. The audience were able to submit questions via the chat function in Welsh or English, and during eight of our events, the audience was able to ask questions orally in either language (two questions were asked in Welsh orally, 11 via the chat function).

All PowerPoint presentations used at these events have been provided bilingually, with attendees able to choose whether to view the slides in Welsh or English. All events are recorded and subtitled in both Welsh and English. These recordings are available on our website.
All of our public events are free of charge and we administer our ticketing bilingually through an online platform, TicketSource. As part of the sign-up procedure, we ask whether or not attendees are Welsh speakers.

In May 2024, we had a week-long presence at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Maldwyn, and in August 2024 we were at the National Eisteddfod in Pontypridd for the whole week, sharing a stand with Educators Wales on both occasions. We ensured that at least one Welsh-speaking employee was present at all times, and employees who are learning Welsh were also encouraged to volunteer.

Other events we have attended this year, across all parts of Wales (and beyond) include:

• the National Education Show (Llandudno and Cardiff)
• Pride Cymru (Cardiff)
• Cardiff Mela
• Royal Welsh Show (Builth Wells)
• Tafwyl (Cardiff)
• conference ‘market places’ across various locations
• university open days throughout Wales
• recruitment fairs across Wales and England

We made every effort to ensure that at least one employee attending these events was a Welsh speaker so that registrants, stakeholders, and the public would be able to engage with us in their preferred language.

Presentations

As summarised below, we offer presentations on a number of our operational areas in Welsh or English, at the request of employers/stakeholders. We endeavour to provide all presentations in the language requested^[2].

A presentation on the Code of Professional Conduct and Practice (the Code) is available on our YouTube channel which includes the slides and subtitles in Welsh.

Fitness to practise

The fitness to practise team (and senior officers) regularly visit schools, FE colleges, and other settings across Wales to deliver presentations to current and future registrants, employers/agents, and others about the Code. In this reporting period, we delivered 46 of these sessions, of which three were delivered in Welsh.

Registration

Annually, the registration team presents to final year teaching (school and FE), and youth work students at institutions across Wales. In this reporting period, we delivered 33 registration presentations, of which 11 were requested and provided in Welsh. Copies of all slides were provided in Welsh and English after each presentation. Attendees at all presentations were able to ask questions (and receive a response) in Welsh or English.

Professional development and funding

The professional development and funding team delivers presentations to newly qualified teachers and relevant stakeholders about the induction profile, as well as to all registrants and stakeholders on the Professional Learning Passport (PLP). During the reporting period, we received requests for 18 presentations to be delivered in Welsh, out of a total of 74.

Promotion of Careers

In the reporting period, the promotion of careers team delivered a total of 16 demonstrations of the Educators Wales website, 6 of which were requested and provided in Welsh.

Signage, notices, publicity, and promotional materials, documents and forms

We produce all EWC materials either bilingually (with Welsh on the left or on top so that it appears first), or in separate Welsh and English versions. English only versions notify the reader that the material is available in Welsh (demonstrating compliance with operational standards 136, 137, and 138).

Website and social media

Our website and associated web-services are fully bilingual and users can easily switch between Welsh and English. This applies to all of our web services, including the public Register of Education Practitioners which can be checked by learners, parents/guardians, members of the public, and employers. In addition, the PLP is supported by a fully bilingual app.

During 2024/25, the PLP saw:

• 193 newly qualified teachers create their induction profiles using the Welsh language version (with 1,029 created in English)
• 2,371 Welsh language professional learning experience templates created (14,263 in English^[3])
• 437 Welsh language career entry profiles created (by Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students at the end of their studies) and used to identify their strengths and areas for further development as they enter induction (1,364 in English)

We are also responsible for the Educators Wales website which provides an online careers, training and recruitment portal for educators and aspiring educators in Wales. The website is fully compliant with the Welsh language standards, with all content available through both Welsh and English. It also provides a bilingual webchat service, offering live or next day replies by EWC officers. Three queries were received via the webchat service in Welsh and 151 in English during 2024/25. We also received 195 direct emails, six of which were in Welsh.

The EWC currently has social media accounts on Facebook and LinkedIn, and until December 2024 we operated an account on X (Twitter). Across these platforms, all messages are posted in Welsh and English on a single feed. We also respond to all messages received through social media in the language of the original query.

On our YouTube channel all videos that we post are available in separate versions with Welsh and English subtitles (with all text provided in the viewers preferred language, regardless of the language being spoken).

The Communications Manager is responsible for all social media output.

Office reception

Within our corporate services team, two of the four posts are Welsh essential, ensuring that we are able to provide full bilingual reception cover. All Welsh-speaking employees are provided with, and encouraged to wear, the Welsh at work lanyard or pin badge (also demonstrating compliance with operational standard 130 and 130A), and posters are displayed in reception informing visitors that we provide a fully bilingual service. The visitors' signing in book is also bilingual.

Other Welsh language service delivery information

Initial teacher education accreditation

We are responsible for accrediting and monitoring programmes of ITE in Wales. We notify all providers about the importance of the Welsh language in the accreditation process and ensure that the accreditation arrangements operate bilingually. On all visits (virtual or onsite) to partnerships, we welcome presentations and professional dialogue through the medium of Welsh, or bilingually. We also offer simultaneous translation services at all visits (virtual or onsite).

During the reporting period, simultaneous translation services were used for two accreditation visits (Cardiff and CaBan), and two reaccreditation visits (USW and SUSP). In addition, it was used at the ITE stakeholder event, hosted jointly by EWC and Estyn, which took place in person in October 2024.

In November 2024, in collaboration with Welsh Government, we allocated ITE intake numbers for programmes commencing in September 2025 to ITE partnerships. We also provided partnerships with specific targets for the recruitment of Welsh-medium teachers (30% of total recruitment). We will monitor recruitment against these targets in 2025/26 and report on this to Welsh Government.

We delegate responsibility for accrediting ITE programmes to our ITE Accreditation Board (the Board). As at 31 March 2025, the board consisted of 15 members, including the chairperson and two deputies, all drawn from different fields of education. There are currently five members who are fluent Welsh speakers and two Welsh learner members.

Promoting careers in the education workforce to Welsh speakers

During 2024/25 we continued to undertake work to promote careers in the registered professions in line with our statutory remit, as well as work over and above that specified in our statutory functions, funded by Welsh Government. Our approach is aligned with Welsh Government’s ambitions with respect to developing the language skills of all practitioners (and their ability to teach Welsh or deliver through the medium of Welsh) and responds to the Cymraeg 2050 strategy, which identifies the education sector as having a key contribution to make in order to achieve the vision of a million Welsh speakers.

Our advocacy and support team have developed recruitment and engagement plans which include targeted recruitment for Welsh-medium teachers. The team also includes a recruitment and support officer with specific responsibility for planning and delivering events and promotional activity aimed at Welsh speakers. This has included:

• working with ITE partnerships to deliver information evenings for those considering becoming a Welsh-medium teacher
• delivering employability workshops and presentations on careers in education in Welsh-medium secondary schools
• attendance at careers fairs in Welsh-medium schools and colleges
• presentations to Welsh-medium teaching assistants to encourage them to progress into a career in teaching

EWC officers continue to work closely with Welsh Government officials and Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol on a number of actions within the Welsh Government’s 10 year Welsh in Education Plan. Regular meetings have led to plans to deliver promotional activity in collaboration at national Welsh medium events and all communications in relation to Welsh medium teacher recruitment directs users to the Educators Wales website.

Fitness to practise and induction appeals

As at 31 March 2025, we had 53 panel members available to sit on fitness to practise committees, of whom 13 were Welsh speakers.

We conduct all fitness to practise cases and induction appeals in the registrant’s language of choice (Welsh or English). Upon receiving a case, we contact the registrant involved to establish their preferred language. Should the matter proceed to a hearing, we verify this preference again to ensure compliance. Witnesses retain the right to submit evidence in Welsh or English, irrespective of the hearing’s primary language.

During the year to 31 March 2025, we heard one hearing fully in Welsh and four hearings partly in Welsh.

Quality Mark for Youth Work (QMYW) in Wales

As at 31 March 2025, we had 45 assessors for the QMYW. Of these, nine are Welsh speakers (at various levels).

Organisations applying for the QMYW may submit documentation in Welsh, English, or bilingually. We conduct QMYW assessments in the applicant’s preferred language. During the year to 31 March 2025, one QMYW assessment was conducted partially in Welsh. 

Policy making standards

Policies and procedures

Our new Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) process—introduced this year—replaces and strengthens the previous Equality Impact Assessment. It expands the scope of considerations and ensures greater robustness in policy development and review. As part of this process, we assess compliance with Welsh language standards, and evaluate how policies may affect Welsh-speaking or Welsh-learning employees, registrants, and stakeholders. The process also encourages officers to actively seek opportunities to promote the status and use of the Welsh language within the workplace, and increase the use of our Welsh language services. We also have a specific policy in place on using Welsh in the workplace (standard 92).

Consultations, research, and statistics

We published two consultations during the reporting year. These related to our Strategic Plan 2025-2028 and our revised Code of Professional Conduct and Practice. Both were conducted bilingually, and sought views about the Welsh language in line with standards 86-88.

This year, we have responded to the Welsh Language Commissioner’s consultations and calls for evidence, on:

• Regulatory Outcomes questionnaire
• Key line of enquiry questionnaire
• Revised Enforcement Policy

In July 2024, we published our Annual Education Workforce Statistics for Wales. This report detailed Welsh language information for the whole education workforce in Wales, across schools, FE, work-based learning, and youth work settings. Following its publication, we held a stakeholder briefing in October 2024, providing attendees with an overview of the data, with a particular focus on the key trends identified including statistics relating to the number of practitioners able to speak and work through the medium of Welsh. The EWC’s Data Manager, who led the event, presented through the medium of Welsh. 

Operational standards

Promotion of the Welsh language

We have a policy in place for the promotion of the Welsh language in the workplace. The policy aims to encourage and promote the use of Welsh internally, as a key element of our organisational culture. Awareness of the Welsh language standards forms part of our induction programme, with new employees learning about the standards and how they apply to us. New starters who are Welsh speakers are encouraged to use Welsh, both for work and in informal chats with colleagues. Opportunities to learn and develop Welsh language skills, as well as to practise speaking Welsh with colleagues, are highlighted to new starters. We also have a promotional video on our website and YouTube channel highlighting how we promote the Welsh language within the workplace, and the work we do to ensure that all of our services are bilingual.

We issued our bilingual Cymraeg ar Waith (Welsh at Work) e-newsletter to all staff on a quarterly basis throughout the year, to promote the use of the Welsh language across our organisation and provide hints and tips on compliance, to help ensure we implement the Welsh language standards consistently.

Our staff intranet, Eddie, is bilingual, enabling staff to receive all internal communications, and access organisational information and corporate literature, through their preferred language. We also use Eddie to share information about various awareness campaigns and cultural celebrations. This year, through Eddie, we promoted the Welsh language Commissioner’s ‘Defnyddia dy Gymraeg’ campaign, Dydd Miwsig Cymru and a number of Welsh language events including the Urdd Eisteddfod, National Eisteddfod, and Tafwyl.

Our dedicated EWC Welsh style guide, Yr Arddulliadur, provides all staff guidance on communicating in Welsh.

We also continue to provide access to the Cysgliad software package, which includes an online Welsh dictionary and spellchecker, on the computers of Welsh-speaking employees. The 'To Bach' programme, which assists with using the circumflex accent that frequently appears in the Welsh language, is installed on all computers.

Policies and procedures

We publish all EWC policies, including those listed in the standards, in Welsh and English on the staff intranet. Any forms or documents associated with the policies are available to employees in Welsh and English, or bilingually.

Our discipline and grievance policies set out employee rights, as per the standards, to use the Welsh language during any procedure. 

Complaints

If we receive any complaints, we have processes in place to ensure that we note these in detail and save them electronically. Complaints are also reported to the senior management team. We have a dedicated area on our webpage outlining our commitment to the Welsh language concerning complaints relating to the Welsh language. Our standards of service document is also available on our website and we make hard copies available upon request. We have received no requests for copies of our standards of service.

During 2024/25, we did not receive any complaints regarding the Welsh language, or our compliance with the standards. We did however receive correspondence from four individuals who were unhappy about receiving a bilingual email from the EWC in which Welsh text appeared first. All four concerns were resolved through responses which explained that we are a fully bilingual organisation that is required to comply with the Welsh Language Standards. 

Welsh language training

We have fostered an encouraging environment for Welsh learners within the organisation. We encourage employees to speak/learn Welsh and first language Welsh speakers are highly supportive of colleagues who are learners.

The Performance Development Review (PDR) process together with the staff survey referenced below are the primary tool for identifying training and development in Welsh for employees. We fully support relevant Welsh language training for all employees. During the reporting year, one member of staff continued to undertake further formal Welsh language training.

We have also supported members of staff who want to build on their formal training by offering in-house mentoring sessions. One member of staff, who with our support, has been learning Welsh since 2018, meets with our Welsh speaking communications officer weekly for informal conversations to help build confidence and nurture their conversational skills.

Bilingual training has been provided on health and safety, as outlined in operational standard 122. No further training has been provided in the areas outlined in operational standards 122 and 123 during the reporting year. If further training is provided in these areas, it will be provided in Welsh as well as English. 

Welsh language skills

Employees

We conduct a survey of our employees’ Welsh language skills and abilities annually. We also ask all new starters to complete the questionnaire during their induction. The survey asks employees to provide information regarding their Welsh language skills in relation to listening, reading, speaking, and writing, asking them to assess their abilities using the 0-5 (as suggested within the Welsh Language Commissioners advice document). The 2025 survey yielded a 96% response rate. We have summarised the response from all employees in the table below and attached a detailed breakdown of responses (by department) as appendix 1.

Employee Welsh language survey – summary of results^_[4]

The employee Welsh language survey also asked employees about their Welsh language training requirements. A total of 16^[5] employees requested Welsh language training with 12 interested in introductory/beginner level training, four requesting extension level training, and one wishing to undertake revision/special skills training (for fluent Welsh speakers).

Council members, ITE Board members, Fitness to Practise panel members and Quality Mark assessors

As part of our data collection, all Council members, ITE Board members, panel members and Quality Mark Assessors are asked to indicate their Welsh language abilities through a voluntary survey. The collated information is used to monitor members’ Welsh language skills and inform future recruitment activity.

Council members^[6]

Of the 14 members in post as at 31 March 2025, we received eight responses:

ITE Accreditation Board members

Of the 15 Board members in post as at 31 March 2025, we received nine responses:

Fitness to practise panel members

Of the 53 panel members as at 31 March 2025, we received 38 responses:

Quality Mark assessors

Of the 45 assessors as at 31 March 2025, we received 18 responses: 

Recruitment

Before embarking on a process of recruitment, a line manager and the relevant director, using our recruitment requisition form, will evaluate the need for and nature of the potential post, including the need for Welsh language skills. The entire recruitment process, is then completed in Welsh and English, or bilingually, including the job advert, all supplementary information, application form, and correspondence with applicants.

When advertising Welsh essential posts, we use Welsh language recruitment websites. At interview stage, we ensure that when we interview Welsh speakers at least one member of the selection panel is fluent in Welsh speaker. Candidates are then asked at least one question in Welsh, requiring a response in Welsh.

Our application form provides a space for applicants to indicate if they wish to use the Welsh language at interview or at any other method of assessment. It also explains that we will provide a translation service if required.

When we offer a new post, we ask the individual their preference with regards to receiving any formal correspondence, including the contract of employment, in Welsh.

In the reporting year, we advertised 11 new and vacant posts, as detailed below:

Record keeping standards

We keep all records in accordance with the standards and we will provide these to the Welsh Language Commissioner on request. 

Appendix 1: Welsh language employee survey: summary of results by department^_[7]

Listening

Reading

Speaking

Writing

^[1]Unknown relates to calls transferred internally as the telephone system is unable to record this data

^[2]Where a request has been made for a presentation to be delivered on a specific date, it may not always be possible to provide a speaker (either in Welsh or English). Where a Welsh speaker is not available, we are happy to offer alternative dates when a presentation can be delivered in Welsh.

^[3]In line with EWC’s PLP account retention and deletion policy, we have deleted 9,586 accounts and the associated assets of PLP users who are no longer registered with EWC during the reporting period.

^[4]Note that the number of employee responses to the survey (55) is two short of the total number of employees working for EWC as at 31 March 2025. This is due to two members of staff not responding to the survey.

^[5]One member of staff requested beginner and extension training.

^[6]Note that the form seeking information on the Welsh language ability of Council members was circulated prior to the requests sent to staff and panel members. As a result, the data was not collected using the revised form and does not align. From 2025/26 onwards, all data will be collected on the same basis.

^[7]Note that the number of employee responses to the survey (55) is two short of the total number of employees working for EWC as at 31 March 2025. This is due to two members of staff not responding to the survey.