The Education Workforce Council: Teacher Education
Accreditation Committee, which will be known as ‘the
board’, will accredit individual Initial Teacher Education
(ITE) programmes.
The newly appointed Chair is Professor John Furlong,
Emeritus Professor of Education, Oxford University
Department of Education, and Emeritus Fellow of Green
Templeton College, Oxford.
Professor Olwen Mcnamara, Professor of Teacher Education,
University of Manchester and Dr Aine Lawlor, former CEO of
the Teaching Council Ireland will be Deputy Chairs. These
appointments will run from 12 June 2017 to 31 May 2022.
The Welsh Government has announced new rules for the
courses that train teachers as part of the drive to attract
the best talent to the profession. The changes for ITE
include strengthening how schools and universities work
together and increasing the role of research.
The latest accreditation criteria are part of the Welsh
Government’s national mission to reform education and
include:
- an increased role for schools
- a clearer role for universities
- structured opportunities to link school and university
learning
- a greater emphasis on research.
The changes build on the new professional teaching and
leadership standards and link to the wider education
reforms taking place in Wales. Pivotal to success is this
very different approach to the professional education of
the teaching workforce.
said:
“I am delighted to announce Professor John Furlong as
Chair and Professor Olwen Mcnamara and Dr Aine Lawlor as
Deputy Chairs of the new Teacher Education Accreditation
Committee.
“This new board will allow more specific consideration of
how ITE programmes will raise the quality of provision –
attracting the right people with the right qualifications
and an aptitude for teaching, to enter the profession.
“These changes and the new accreditation standards are
part of our national mission to raise the standards and
standing of the profession.”
