What assessment has the Minister made of lessons that could be learnt for Wales from the following Scottish Government schemes: the preference-waiver payment; remote schools allowance; and the distant islands allowance?
The preference-waiver payment is part of Scotland’s early career package to incentivise the completion of a new teacher’s probation within a specific region of Scotland. The payment forms part of a teacher’s probation period and is designed to incentivise newly qualified teachers to undertake their induction period in specific geographical areas. The incentives process is structured differently in Wales and we do not currently offer any incentives that are specific to the induction period. A number of research projects have been undertaken and published by the Education Workforce Council on behalf of Welsh Government regarding the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Incentives including their place within an International Policy Context. This evidence along with the requirements of our schools and teaching workforce is considered annually when decisions are made on the ITE incentive schemes here in Wales.
I understand that the remote schools and the distant islands allowances are payments made to teachers in some schools in Scotland as part of their pay and conditions of service. In Wales, such matters are considered by the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body (IWPRB) as part of its annual review. This includes providing recommendations on ensuring teachers’ pay and conditions are appropriate to recruit and retain sufficient numbers of high quality teachers in Wales. Additionally, I have recently asked the IWPRB to undertake a strategic review of the existing structure of teachers’ and leaders’ pay and conditions in Wales and to propose opportunities for improvements where required. The IWPRB’s Report is due by March 2023.