§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if he will make a statement on the relative value of the(a) English and (b) Welsh Qualified Teacher Status qualifications; [150599]
(2) what assessment he has made of obstacles to prospective teachers who live on the Welsh borders qualifying as teachers; [150600]
(3) whether a teacher who completes their initial teacher training course in England may undertake the practical experience element in a Welsh school. [150603]
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§ Mr. MilibandThe funding, content and standards required of courses of initial teacher training provided by Welsh institutions are matters for the National Assembly for Wales. Courses funded by the Department for Education and Skills through the Teacher Training Agency and which lead to the award of Qualified Teacher Status by the General Teaching Council for England are governed by the Education (School Teachers' Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2003. These require that any periods of practical experience undertaken as part of a course of initial teacher training in England must take place wholly or mainly at schools in England, but do not preclude some periods of teaching experience taking place elsewhere. The same regulations provide for the automatic recognition in England of teaching qualifications awarded by the General Teaching Council for Wales.