We have published our response to the Welsh Government consultation on proposals to formalise the provision of six INSET days per year for schools in Wales. The consultation closed on 2 February 2026.
In our response, we welcomed the proposals and emphasised the essential role that INSET days play in enabling high‑quality, sustained professional learning across the school workforce. Six INSET days per year is now well‑established practice in Wales and has been crucial in supporting practitioners to respond to Curriculum for Wales, Additional Learning Needs (ALN) reform, and wider equity priorities.
To support the development of a coherent and effective national approach, our response highlighted several key points:
- support for formalising six INSET days: INSET days are vital for high‑quality professional learning and help the workforce respond to key priorities including Curriculum for Wales, ALN, and equity.
- provision must benefit the whole workforce: all members of the workforce should have equitable access to meaningful professional learning that supports continuous improvement, enhances their skills and professional knowledge, and contributes, both directly and indirectly, to upholding the standards set out within the EWC Code of Professional Conduct and Practice
- a balanced approach to national and local priorities: we support the focus on national priorities, but emphasise the need for flexibility so schools can address local contexts and their own staff needs
- stronger collaboration and coherence: we welcome continued collaboration between Welsh Government, Dysgu, regional consortia, local authorities, and schools to ensure that professional learning is high‑quality, evidence‑informed, and responsive to school contexts
- enhanced opportunities for feedback: practitioners should have opportunities to reflect on and feedback on the impact and effectiveness of INSET days to inform future policy developments
- greater coordination of INSET days could offer further support: aligning dates across clusters or local authority areas can reduce disruption for families and create more opportunities for collaborative professional learning
- better communication with parent/guardians: publishing INSET dates and their purpose at the start of the academic year will help strengthen public understanding of the importance of professional learning and highlight the high-standards expected of the education profession
- limiting clustering and twilight sessions: spreading INSET days across the year and reducing over‑reliance on twilight sessions supports more sustained, reflective, and effective professional learning, while minimising classroom disruption
- strengthening Welsh‑medium capacity: INSET days provide valuable opportunities for Welsh‑language professional learning, supporting the Welsh Language in Education Act and the wider Cymraeg 2050 ambition
Finally, we pointed out that professional learning is most effective when it is ongoing and embedded, and noted the value of the Professional Learning Passport (PLP). The PLP is a flexible online e-portfolio available to all EWC registrants. It is packed with features that are designed to support practitioners in capturing, reflecting, sharing, and planning their learning, with the ultimate aim of shaping their ongoing professional development and practice.
We look forward to continuing to support the Welsh Government and partners, as appropriate to our remit, in developing an effective national approach to professional learning.