In November 2024, the Department for Education announced an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) accreditation window to ensure ongoing coverage and efficient delivery of ITT where it is needed. Two targeted rounds were announced for delivery beginning academic year 2026/27 and academic year 2027/28 respectively. The application process for the first round was undertaken during Spring 2025 and concluded in Summer 2025. The published outcomes can be found here: List of providers accredited to deliver ITT from September 2026.
The Department will open the second round this afternoon, 17 December 2025, for eligible organisations to deliver ITT leading to QTS from academic year 2027/28.
To be eligible to apply, organisations must:
- have previously held accreditation to deliver ITT leading to QTS
- be a training (lead) partner or have been delivering ITT that leads to QTS in the last 12 months
- not have received two consecutive ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ judgements from Ofsted in the previous inspection cycle (2021-24).
This is a targeted round, intended only to accredit experienced lead partners or those recently delivering ITT, where it is more cost effective and beneficial for the trainee teacher to do so. It is not intended to accredit new entrants to the market so soon after the previous accreditation round, as market coverage across regions, subjects and phases has remained stable in recent years. Whilst the eligibility criteria remain largely the same as the first round, the second criterion has been extended to allow other organisations, who did not enter ITT partnerships in 2024 but have recent experience of delivering ITT, to apply.
Applicants will be expected to demonstrate their intention and ability to deliver ITT courses against the published ITT criteria. They will also be asked to provide their plans for a smooth transition from existing partnership arrangements and their readiness to deliver as an accredited provider. Successful organisations will be accredited to deliver from September 2027.
The Department will publish a guidance page, which includes the ‘Initial Teacher Training Accreditation Registration Form for 2027 to 2028 Delivery’ this afternoon for those eligible organisations who wish to apply. Please note that we will not be able to take applications from organisations who have not completed the registration form. Applicants will have until 5 January 2026 to submit the form. Once registrations are received, eligibility checks will take place and applicants confirmed as eligible will be sent an application pack later in January. The following page will be updated with further details later today: Initial teacher training (ITT): accreditation.
Currently, there is good coverage of ITT courses across the regions, subjects and phases. The department will continue to monitor market data and insights closely, to assess when and where future rounds of accreditation for new entrants to the market might be needed.