Join the partnership

I have been actively involved in the Open University as a Lead School for several years now and it is a privilege to have been appointed as Chair of the OU PGCE Board this year. As a board, we are keen to ensure that our programme offers those training the very best experiences and that we work successfully with our partner schools to help broaden our offer. I am incredibly proud of the entire staff team and want to use this opportunity to extend my thanks for their commitment, hard work and passion which has created what I truly believe is an exciting and innovative programme which is preparing the teachers of the future.

Richard Hatwood, Headteacher of Lead School All Saints' Primary
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Our Partnership Office will be the first point of contact for prospective candidates and applicants. We also make the Practice Learning arrangements, working with schools across Wales to offer placements to student teachers. Generally, when a student is enrolled on the course they will contact their Curriculum Tutor with any questions, and use the online forums, but we are on hand to offer support on most of the operational aspects. We are the main contact for our Partnership Committees and Sub-Committees and for regional consortia and local authority partners. Contact the Partnership Office at Wales-PGCE@open.ac.uk

Our Curriculum Tutors deliver the academic element of the programme and support student teachers during their Practice Learning in schools. Every student will be assigned a Curriculum Tutor at the beginning of the programme.

We know applying for a place on a PGCE can be daunting and we understand that schools also need support to understand the requirements of our salaried and part-time routes. We are on hand to signpost to relevant information and to help applicants and schools to make the PGCE experience straightforward and enjoyable.

Partnership Office
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Our aim in working with student-teachers is that they develop into reflective, resilient, resourceful practitioners. Teaching is not for everyone - and nor should it be. It is a lifelong journey for the bold and brave, the driven and thoughtful, the curious and trustworthy, the kind and determined.  We feel honoured to be working in Initial Teacher Education in Wales and supporting student-teachers into a profession that really does make a difference to the lives of children and young people, their families and communities. We truly value our partnership with schools, who provide those crucial opportunities and experiences for our student-teachers across Wales.

Curriculum Tutor
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Join our unique OU ITE Partnership to support the next generation of teachers and benefit from enrichment opportunities for your colleagues and school.

Central to delivery of our PGCE programme is our close partnership with schools, and there are different ways you can get involved.  

There are significant benefits to a partnership with the OU, including: 

• opportunities for schools to grow your own teachers 
• develop and diversify your teaching community 
• financial incentives and dedicated training and development for school-based mentoring staff. 

Our Lead Schools are members of the Partnership Committee with key strategic and decision-making responsibilities, leading Partner Schools within their area and playing a central part in all aspects of the programme.  

Partner schools are schools who support the development of students on the salaried and part-time routes. Partner Schools may endorse a PGCE student teacher employed within their school and also provide placement opportunities for students on the part-time route.

Apply to become a partner school

Criteria for the inclusion of schools

PGCE Endorsement Letter

We’re seeking to directly appoint Practice Tutors from across all our Partner Schools. Practice Tutors support students during their completion of our unique part-time and employment-based routes into teaching. 

Practice Tutor opportunities

Apply to become a Practice Tutor

The OU ITE Partnership, supported by Welsh Government and a Community Mentor, has developed a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic strategy. Our vision is to deliver an inclusive PGCE Wales programme, that increases the number of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic student teacher candidates enrolling and successfully completing an ITE course, which will contribute to diversifying the Welsh teacher workforce.

Welsh Language strategy

Are you searching for an outstanding student teacher?

Students who wish to follow the Secondary Salaried PGCE route and don’t have a school to endorse them, can apply for the Unendorsed Salaried route in either Science, Maths, Welsh, English, Design and Technology, Computing/ICT or MFL.

Secondary schools can tell us if they would like to support a new employee on the Salaried Route and contact us to be matched to an eligible secondary applicant in their area. We ask the applicants to complete a personal profile to share with schools to facilitate this matching service.

• English medium Secondary schools receive a 100% salary grant for endorsing a student on the Welsh subject route and 50% salary grant for endorsing students on the D&T, Science, Maths, English or ICT routes, and 
• Welsh medium Secondary schools receive a 100% salary grant for the 6 secondary subject pathways on offer.

Click here for more information about the Salaried Route.

For further information, please contact us at wales-pgce@open.ac.uk