Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to encourage recently accredited providers to consider partnering with unsuccessful applicants to the initial teacher training market review.

Following the recent accreditation process, 179 universities and School Centred Initial Teacher Training schools were accredited to deliver high quality initial teacher training (ITT) from September 2024. The Department will work closely with these accredited settings to better understand their plans for delivery from September 2024, and help them build their capacity to cover areas that require greater provision. Partnerships are already forming, and the Department will further facilitate the formation of partnerships between accredited settings and unaccredited settings who wish to remain in the market beyond Autumn 2024.

The accredited setting is accountable for the quality of planning and delivery of the overall curriculum within partnerships. They can benefit from their partners’ expertise, knowledge and networks to ensure strong delivery of ITT provision for their community. Partnering will also enable the sharing of best practice between colleagues, bringing new perspectives to organisations, reaching new areas and increasing their current provision.

The Department will provide further information in due course on the support available to those considering forming new partnerships.