Commenting on today’s announcement that the Welsh Government is providing a term of employment for newly qualified teachers whose in-class training was disrupted by the pandemic, Laura Doel, director of school leaders union, NAHT Cymru, said:

“This is welcomed news as schools want to support newly qualified teachers in making up all their missed classroom experience, but, ultimately, we need to be in a position for them to gain permanent employment in Wales and remain in the profession.

“School leaders would love nothing more than to employ these newly qualified teachers on a permanent basis for the benefit of learners and the whole school community, but the funding crisis that continues to plague schools is preventing schools being able to employ them.

“For the Welsh Government to truly support these new teachers, we urge it to provide the funding needed to employ them permanently, thereby boosting the long-term prospects for recruitment into the profession and for retaining aspiring school leaders.”