If you’re considering a career in teaching in Wales you will need to obtain qualified teacher status (QTS) by studying on a programme of initial teacher education (ITE) accredited by us through our ITE Accreditation Board.
ITE programmes provide the professional education and development of student teachers, preparing them for work in schools in Wales and providing the foundation for career long professional learning. These programmes are based on learning that is both rigorously practical and intellectually challenging at the same time and seek to ensure that teachers are committed to excellence, professionalism, and high quality teaching.
Find out who is involved in partnerships running accredited ITE programmes in Wales.
Programmes available from 2019/20
A list of the accredited ITE programmes offered by Partnerships in Wales from September 2019 is outlined below.
Primary – Undergraduate
Name of Partnership | Programme title | Accreditation expiry date |
Cardiff Partnership | BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS | August 2024 |
Yr Athrofa: Professional Learning Partnership | BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS | August 2024 |
Primary - Postgraduate
Name of Partnership | Programme title | Accreditation expiry date |
Aberystwyth ITE Partnership | PGCE | August 2024 |
Cardiff Partnership | PGCE: Primary | August 2024 |
Yr Athrofa: Professional Learning Partnership | PGCE with QTS | August 2024 |
Secondary - Postgraduate
Name of Partnership | Programme title | Accreditation expiry date |
Aberystwyth ITE Partnership | PGCE | August 2024 |
Cardiff Partnership | PGCE: Secondary | August 2024 |
Yr Athrofa: Professional Learning Partnership | PGCE with QTS | August 2024 |
Programmes available from 2020/21
In addition to the programmes listed above, the following ITE programmes will be offered from September 2020.
Primary - Undergraduate
Name of Partnership | Programme title | Accreditation expiry date |
University of South Wales ITE Partnership | BA (Hons) Primary ITE with QTS | August 2025 |
Secondary- Undergraduate
Name of Partnership | Programme title | Accreditation expiry date |
Swansea University Schools Partnership | PGCE Secondary | August 2025 |
Alternative Routes
Name of Partnership | Programme title | Accreditation expiry date |
Open University Partnership | PGCE (Part-time) Primary and Secondary | March 2025 |
Open University Partnership | PGCE (Salaried route) Primary and Secondary | March 2025 |
Programmes available from 2021/22
Primary - Undergraduate
Name of Partnership | Programme title | Accreditation expiry date |
CaBan - Bangor North Wales Partnership | BA Primary | August 2026 |
Primary - Postgraduate
Name of Partnership | Programme title | Accreditation expiry date |
CaBan - Bangor North Wales Partnership | PGCE Primary | August 2026 |
Secondary - Postgraduate
Name of Partnership | Programme title | Accreditation expiry date |
CaBan - Bangor North Wales Partnership | PGCE Secondary | August 2026 |
Programmes available from 2022/23
Primary postgraduate
Name of Partnership | Programme title | Accreditation expiry date |
University of South Wales ITE Partnership | PGCE Primary ITE with QTS* | August 2027 |
Swansea University Schools Partnership | PGCE Primary* | August 2027 |
*accreditation is subject to conditions
Monitoring of ITE programmes
All ITE programmes offered by partnerships in Wales are assessed, evaluated, and monitored against the Welsh Government’s criteria for the accreditation of initial teacher education programmes in Wales.
The monitoring guidance provided by the EWC to partnerships outlines the approach undertaken before, during and further to any monitoring activity.
Estyn has recently inspected all ITE provision in Wales under previous accreditation arrangements. Reports on those inspections can be found on the Estyn website. ITE programmes that start in September 2019 will be monitored by the ITE Accreditation Board and inspected by Estyn.