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

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It is important that PGCE, PGDE 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, GTCW will make a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Enhanced Disclosure check. In addition, 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) the applicant will be required to sign a declaration to confirm 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 20550350; 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 (June 2010) (PDF 38k) 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 Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) 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 booklet 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.

Final year students will have a number of opportunities to obtain an application pack for registration with the Council:

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 Qualifications 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 LEAs, 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 (LEA) 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 WAG and any queries regarding the administration of the programme, including application for extensions, should be referred to their Induction Team on 029 20801389.

Contacts

For any matters concerning qualifications or registration, please contact the Qualifications and Registration Team using any of the following media :-

  • Address - General Teaching Council for Wales, 4th Floor, Southgate House, Wood Street, Cardiff, CF10 1EW
  • Telephone - 029 20550350
  • Facsimile - 029 20550360
  • E-mail - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it