Applications have opened for the latest round of Cynllun Pontio, a scheme that retrains Welsh‑speaking primary teachers — and those who’ve left the profession — to switch into secondary education. The programme pays participants a salary while they retrain, with ministers saying it is vital to meet demand for Welsh‑medium teaching.
Nearly 100 people have already gone through the scheme since 2020, but buried in the small print is a further sweetener: a £5,000 retention bursary for eligible secondary teachers who teach Welsh or teach through the medium of Welsh.
The incentive is part of an £8m package aimed at boosting the Welsh‑medium workforce, including funding to keep A‑level Welsh courses running in schools with low numbers and extra support for English‑medium teachers learning Welsh.
Ysgol Bro Teifi headteacher Gareth Evans said the scheme had already helped his school retrain primary teachers and bring them into the secondary sector.
“Cynllun Pontio has enabled us to retrain primary teachers to develop their experience and confidence,” he said. “Some have stayed with us, others have secured jobs elsewhere. It’s a unique and effective programme.”
Cabinet Secretary for Education Lynne Neagle said the scheme was about supporting people who want to switch sectors while strengthening the Welsh‑medium workforce.
“We want to support those who want to make the switch to secondary education or rejoin teaching,” she said. “This programme provides training and financial support to help people in their education career.”
Applications are open until 22 February 2026, with candidates asked to submit forms by email.
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