The Open University ITE Partnership in Wales

This short case study provides an overview of the sustainability-related commitment and content of the PGCE Programme delivered by The Open University Initial Teacher Education Partnership in Wales. Education reform in Wales includes the implementation of the Curriculum for Wales and one of the four purposes of this curriculum is for learners to become ethically informed citizens. Since the launch of the PGCE programme in 2020 there has been strong evidence of the impacts of sustainability / environmental education for the PGCE. Many student teachers focus professional enquiries on sustainability-related topics and they contribute to environmental issues during their school placements. The application of immersive technology means different classroom environments can be experienced without having to travel to schools. There is an expectation that future citizens have the skills to tackle problems with creative solutions – and a well-informed teacher workforce is critical to support this.