Registration Information for Final Year Students and Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs)

It is important that PGCE and final year undergraduate students intending to teach in Wales for the first time, register with the Council before commencing their first teaching post in September (including supply work).

Since 31st May 2006, in accordance with the Education Act 2002 and the Education 2002 (Commencement No. 10 and Transitional Provisions) ( Wales) Order 2006, an applicant is not eligible for registration with GTCW unless the Council is satisfied as to the applicants suitability to be a registered teacher.

In determining suitability the GTCW will include consideration of:-

• a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Enhanced Disclosure check;
• the declaration section of the registration application form completed by the applicant. Namely, the declaration of any previous disciplinary action / sanction by an employer / agent, professional / regulatory body or the Secretary of State / Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA)

and

• for persons who have spent time overseas (born outside the UK, has lived outside the UK to adulthood or has spent more than three months in any one country outside of the UK in the last 5 years) a signed declaration, completed by the applicant, which confirms the details of any criminal offences abroad or that he / she has no criminal record.
  
  

Any criminal offences or other information displayed on an Enhanced Disclosure will be formally considered by GTCW in determining a person's suitability to be a registered teacher. This will include any offences committed prior to the application for registration being made.

Details of GTCW procedures for considering such matters and further guidance is available from the Council's Professional Standards Team on 029 2046 0099; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Given the above information, registration will be subject to compliance with the General Teaching Council for Wales Registration Rules (September 2011) (PDF 92k) and:

• completion and submission of all the documents in an application for registration pack, namely:
  • a new application for registration form
  • the relevant payment form and appropriate fee (if by cheque, it should be made payable to GTCW for £45 (The Government fund the cost of the first CRB enhanced disclosure check carried out by the Council for an NQT);
• completion of an application form for an enhanced disclosure by the CRB, including the provision of original identification to the Council (reference should be made to the CRB applicants guidance included with the pack to ensure the appropriate forms of identification are included);
• a period of four to six weeks to process your application, although this can vary depending upon processing times by the CRB.
  
  

To assist students with the registration process, GTCW officers visit all ITET institution, in Wales, during the period March to June each year and make presentations to final year students. Following these presentations our staff are available for NQTs to see in order to complete and submit the necessary application forms and registration fee. These visits are arranged to help ensure NQTs fully understand the requirements for working in Wales and it is, therefore, imperative that they attend the session planned for them. Dates of scheduled visits for 2012 can be seen here..

After you have been awarded QTS in August and we have completed our assessment of your suitability for registration from the CRB disclosure check, we will register you and issue you with a letter confirming your registration with the Council.

Employers have a legal obligation to ensure that every qualified teacher, who carries out specified work in a maintained school in Wales is registered with the General Teaching Council for Wales before they start work. The Council would urge final year students to complete their application forms to register as early as possible. Failure to register promptly may result in difficulties with employers, prior to commencing work in September.

Tax Relief

Your registration fee is eligible for tax relief. If you are a basic rate tax payer, this in effect reduces the cost to you to £36 this year. This does not affect your ability to claim tax relief on existing teacher association or union subscriptions. To claim tax relief, please contact your local tax office.

The award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

Students/NQTs are also advised to read the details headed "Information for initial teacher training institutions and students undertaking courses of initial teacher training" under the Qualified Teacher Status section of this website.

Induction

Every teacher who obtained Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) after 1st April 2003 in Wales is required to complete a statutory Induction period.

Upon successful completion of the Induction programme the GTCW is responsible for collecting the pass information from the LAs, updating the Register of Qualified Teachers and issuing certificates to those teachers who have passed the programme

Although there is no time limit for starting Induction, it is expected that you should complete your Induction period within 5 years of the date of gaining QTS. During this 5 year period, you can undertake an unlimited amount of supply teaching.

If, however, you do not complete your Induction period within the 5 years of gaining QTS and you wish to continue working as a short-term supply teacher, you will need to apply to your Appropriate Body (LA) for a 12 month extension to the 5 year period

The GTCW will write to you approximately 3 months before the 5 year limit has been reached if you have not yet successfully completed the Induction programme. The letter will clarify what action you need to take in order to apply to your Appropriate Body for a 12 month extension to the 5 year rule. In addition the Council will also advise your employer that you are approaching the limit on short-term supply teaching without having completed your Induction period.

The Induction programme is managed by the WG and any queries regarding the administration of the programme, including application for extensions, should be referred to their Induction Team on 029 2080 1389.