EPD Funding
IMPORTANT
Revised Induction and EPD funding arrangements from 1st September 2012
The Welsh Government is intending to revise the existing arrangements for Induction and Early Professional Development (EPD) in Wales from the 1st September 2012. The main changes are likely to be:
- revised Induction Regulations which will aim to give greater consistency to Induction for all newly qualified teachers (NQTs) across Wales and to provide greater flexibility in order to allow supply teachers to complete their Induction period in Wales;
- an end of EPD funding for NQTs commencing Induction from 1st September 2012, though NQTs who commenced Induction before this date will still be eligible for EPD funding;
- the introduction of an optional Masters in Educational Practice (MEP) for NQTs starting Induction in Wales from 1st September 2012.
GTCW administers some parts of the funding for Induction and EPD on behalf of the Welsh Government. As such it will re-issue its existing Induction and EPD funding information booklet and forms to schools in readiness for autumn term 2012 once the Welsh Government has consulted on changes to the Induction Regulations.
In light of the above teachers and schools are advised of the following:
- all staff involved in the provision of professional development within schools and NQTs should keep checking the Welsh Government website over the coming months to ensure that they are fully informed of the new requirements from September 2012;
- for NQTs commencing their Induction programme from September 2012 please wait for the revised documentation to be published before submitting any Induction or MEP paperwork to GTCW;
- for teachers continuing their Induction in a new school from September 2012 or for teachers commencing an EPD year from September 2012 please submit current paperwork to GTCW by the end of summer term 2012, if possible, but at the very latest within 10 working days of the commencement of the teacher’s Induction period/EPD year (17th September 2012).
Further details are available from the Induction & EPD Funding Team on 029 20460099, by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
When a maintained school in Wales is employing a teacher who is undertaking the first or second year of EPD then the following steps must be taken by the school to ensure that appropriate funding is released to the school:
| STEP 1 | On commencement of the first or second year of EPD the appropriate EPD Planning Form must be submitted to GTCW by the school, at the latest, within 10 working days of the start of the EPD year. |
On receipt of the Planning Form GTCW will check that the EPD activities recorded on the plan meet the eligibility criteria and notify the school of the outcome (see GTCW document Accessing Funding for Induction and Early Professional Development for the criteria).
Schools can contact GTCW at anytime during the teacher’s EPD year to make amendments/additions to the original EPD Planning Form submitted. Failure to notify GTCW of changes to EPD Planning Forms could result in the school losing out on funding.
FIRST YEAR OF EPD ONLY
From September 2011, the Welsh Government will only support development activities during the first year of EPD which are related to the core priorities of:
- Literacy
- Numeracy
- Reducing the impact of poverty on attainment
- ALN
- Behaviour management
- Reflective practice
For further information regarding the changes to the first year of EPD for September 2011 – July 2012, please visit the Welsh Government’s website at:
As a result of this change GTCW will only approve EPD activities recorded on First Year of EPD Planning Forms which fall within the key areas listed above. Where officers cannot clearly identify from the information provided on the Planning Form that an activity is associated with one or more of the key areas, GTCW will not approve the activity and further information will be requested. No EPD funding will be released for activities completed which do not fall within the priority areas. This guidance supersedes any guidance to the contrary which is recorded in the following documents:
Information Document 064/2008 - Induction and Early Professional Development Handbook.
Accessing Funding for Induction and Early Professional Development
|
STEP 2 |
On completion of the first or second year of EPD the appropriate EPD Evaluation Form must be submitted to GTCW by the school by a date stipulated by GTCW but at the latest by the end of the teacher’s EPD year. |
If a teacher leaves employment before completing a full EPD year a Transfer Form together with a First or Second Year Evaluation Form must be submitted at the end of the teacher’s employment at the school.
Schools should contact GTCW’s Induction and EPD Funding Team if, during a teacher’s EPD year a teacher’s contracted hour change, a teacher takes maternity leave or a teacher is absent for a substantial period, as such circumstances could impact on the teacher’s EPD year completion date.
On receipt of the Evaluation Form GTCW will check that the actual EPD activities completed, as recorded on the evaluation, meet the eligibility criteria and notify the school of the outcome.
Once GTCW is satisfied that the EPD activities meet the eligibility criteria GTCW will release funding to the school, up to £1,000.
More information in relation to funding for EPD and the EPD programme in general is available by clicking here
|
Paperwork required to ensure the release of EPD Funding Checklist
Funding will then be released to school by GTCW (annually and retrospectively), on receipt of the Evaluation Form and on checking the eligibility of the actual EPD activity completed as recorded on the Evaluation From |
Funded by:
Contact the Induction & EPD Team
General Teaching Council for Wales
9th Floor, Eastgate House
35-43 Newport Road
Cardiff, CF24 0AB
Tel: 029 20460099
Fax: 029 20475850
e-mail: inductionandepd@gtcw.org.uk