The Education Workforce Council (EWC) has provided feedback to Welsh Government’s consultation on proposals for a Welsh Language Education Bill.

The consultation offered the public and key stakeholders the opportunity to have their say on Welsh Government’s proposals for a Bill which aims to take steps to enable all pupils in Wales to become confident Welsh speakers through the statutory education system.

In its response, the EWC largely welcomed the proposals, and citing data from the Register of Education Practitioners and the most recent Education Workforce Survey (2021) noted:

• that to achieve the target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050, a significant increase in the Welsh language capacity of the school workforce would be necessary (acknowledging the work already underway, led by Welsh Government and involving a wide range of stakeholders)
• that in addition to recruiting new Welsh speaking teachers, an enhanced programme of professional learning would also be required to develop the Welsh language skills of the existing workforce
• that it would be important to understand the implications of the policy in relation to workload and as such, the EWC asks this is taken into account at all stages of the policy making process.

The EWC is already leading the development and implementation of a strategic approach to the recruitment and promotion of careers in education in Wales (on behalf of Welsh Government). One of the priorities set for this work is contributing to increasing recruitment of Welsh-medium educators. The organisation has also been identified within the Welsh in Education Workforce Plan as having a number of roles to play in this area.

You can read the EWC’s consultation response in full on the EWC website.

The Education Workforce Council (EWC) has published its Annual Report and Accounts for the year ending 31 March 2023.

The report, which was laid before the Senedd on 9 August 2023, sets out how the EWC has performed against its strategic objectives, and includes detailed and audited accounts for the 2022-23 financial year.

Highlights from this year’s report include:

• effective delivery of our core function to regulate in the public interest with over 88,000 individuals on our Register of Education Practitioners
• publication of our revised  Code of Professional Conduct and Practice which sets out the standards expected of those registered with us and is intended to guide their judgements and decisions
• releasing of a range of resources to support registrants comply with the Code including good practice guides and professional development events
• delivery of over 340 support sessions and presentations to stakeholders
• continued growth of the Educators Wales brand, website, and advocacy service to support recruitment and retention priorities in Wales
• receiving the highest audit opinion of substantial assurance with no recommendations for all five internal audit reviews completed in 2022-23

Following the publication, Hayden Llewellyn, Chief Executive of the EWC said “I am pleased to be able to share our achievements from over the last 12 months with you all.

“The education sector in Wales continues to evolve and grow, bringing with it new opportunities and challenges. This Annual Report and Accounts demonstrates how, through being a trusted independent, professional regulator, we are able to support the workforce to deliver the highest standards of professionalism”.

The Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23 were published alongside the Welsh Language Standards Monitoring Report 2022-23 and Annual Equality Report 2022-23 .

Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23

Overview: Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23

A new professional learning and development framework for practitioners in further education (FE), work-based learning (WBL), and adult learning has been launched by Welsh Government.

The framework brings together a range of advice, guidance, and tools to support practitioners on their professional learning journey, including:

• updated professional standards for FE teachers, WBL practitioners and adult learning practitioners
• new professional standards for FE and WBL support staff
• an interactive tool that allows you to explore what the standards might look like at different levels of practice - exploring, embedding and transforming

The resource has been developed in response to findings from the Post-16 Professional Learning Scoping Study (commissioned by the Welsh Government), much of which focussed on the need for such a framework to bring the various aspects of professional learning together.

Announcing the launch, Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles said “I’m pleased to launch the professional development hub, which will bring together information and guidance on everything from the initial qualifications needed, to how to progress a career in the post-16 sector. These standards provide a blueprint for excellence. They are not simply the Welsh Government’s standards. They belong to the workforce – written by the sector, driven by the sector.”

The framework has been funded by the Welsh Government, and developed by the Education Workforce Council (EWC) in collaboration with the FE, WBL, and adult learning sectors.

Hayden Llewellyn, EWC Chief Executive said “The release of this framework follows extensive collaboration and engagement with the sector, shaping the content and seeking the views and feedback of those it is intended to support.

“As the independent, professional regulator for the education workforce in Wales, we are committed to maintaining professionalism and enhancing standards amongst our registrants. These resources are an essential tool in helping to achieve this and will no doubt continue to evolve and develop over the years to meet the ever-changing needs of those working in post-16 education.”

All of the resources can be found on the Educators Wales website.

The Education Workforce Council (EWC) has today (Monday 10 July 2023) published its Fitness to Practise Annual Report 2022-23.

The latest report includes data on the types of cases the EWC deals with (including those currently registered and those applying for registration), trends from year to year, and the profiles of those featured in cases.

As the independent, professional regulator for the education workforce in Wales, practitioners are legally required to register with the EWC before undertaking work. This ensures that those working in education across Wales have the right skills and knowledge to practise safely and effectively.

As part of their regulatory role, the EWC is required to investigate and hear allegations that might call into question a practitioner’s fitness to practise. This means they not only safeguard in the interests of learners and young people, parents/guardians, and the public, but also help maintain trust and confidence in the education workforce as a whole.

Information relating to upcoming hearings, and hearing outcomes is publicly available via the EWC website.

The Fitness to Practise Annual Report 2022-23 is available to read in full now.