Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government why the inspection cycle for initial teacher education providers has been extended from three years to four; and what assessment they have made of the effect of this on the quality of provision.

Accredited initial teacher training (ITT) providers play a critical role in the education system and it is right that they are inspected by Ofsted to ensure high quality. The previous inspection cycle was accelerated from 6 to 3 years, following the introduction of the Core Content Framework in 2020 which marked a significant change to ITT.

All ITT providers passed a rigorous accreditation process against new quality requirements in September 2024. In September 2025, 100% of continuing ITT providers had been rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ in the previous cycle, with new providers to be inspected in their second year of delivery.

Given the starting point of high quality in the ITT market, a 4-year inspection cycle ensures government has appropriate oversight over the quality of ITT, whilst also ensuring value for money. The department continues to monitor the quality of ITT and inspections undertaken so far indicate the continuation of a strong ITT provider market.