Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the the potential impact of the initial Teacher Training Market Review on its objective to recruit more teachers from diverse backgrounds.
Answered by Nick Gibb
In the 2019 Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy, the Department committed to reviewing the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) market, with the aim to make it more effective.
The subsequent ITT accreditation process was recommended by an expert advisory group and implemented following public consultation. The process was designed to assess providers’ capacity to deliver high quality, reformed ITT from September 2024, in line with the new Quality Requirements identified in the advisory group’s ITT Market Review.
The consultation invited views on any impact people considered could arise from implementation of the proposed Quality Requirements in relation to equalities issues. The Department also assessed the potential equalities impacts of the reforms and published the findings here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1037339/Government_response_to_the_initial_teacher_training__ITT__market_review_report_-_equalities_impact_assessment.pdf.
The Department continues to provide support to attract the best possible candidates to teacher training. £181 million has been made available in bursaries and scholarships to attract trainee teachers in high priority subjects for the 2023/24 academic year, which is a £52 million increase on the current academic year. As graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects attract the highest salaries outside teaching, the Department is offering a £27,000 tax free bursary and a £29,000 tax free scholarship in chemistry, computing, mathematics, and physics. In addition, a Levelling Up Premium worth up to £3,000 tax free annually is available for maths, physics, chemistry and computing teachers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools early in their career. This reflects the priority the Department places on training teachers to teach STEM subjects and on supporting the recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in the subjects, schools and areas that need them most.
The Department wants to attract and retain diverse, talented teachers from all backgrounds and support all teachers in their career journeys. The Department is committed to dismantling the stereotype of what a good teacher looks like and supporting people into teaching, regardless of their gender or background.
The new Apply for Teacher Training service, rolled out in October 2021, will allow the Department to collect more data, giving a greater insight into candidate behaviour and the behaviour of providers of teacher training, so that the Department can identify barriers and work to address them. The Department will continue to work closely with ITT providers to explore, design and test new interventions to ensure teaching is an inclusive career that is open to candidates from all backgrounds.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the initial teacher training market review, whether her Department is taking steps to support the reaccreditation of the University of Plymouth.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department appointed an Expert Advisory Group in 2020 to consider how the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) sector can provide consistently high quality training, in line with the ITT Core Content Framework. A central recommendation of the ITT Market Review report, accepted by the Department, was that all ITT courses leading to Qualified Teacher Status should have to adhere to a set of Quality Requirements, and that all providers of these courses should go through an accreditation process to ensure they can meet the new requirements from September 2024.
179 providers have been accredited to deliver ITT from September 2024, following a rigorous accreditation process. These providers cover all regions of the country and include new entrants to the market. Safeguarding teacher supply is a key priority, including in Plymouth, and the Department will continually monitor provision levels to ensure that there are sufficient ITT places to meet teacher recruitment targets. The reforms aim to ensure every trainee experiences high quality, seamless and coherent ITT programmes and quality will not be compromised.
The Department is now actively encouraging partnership and expansions in areas which may have fewer providers following the accreditation process and where unsuccessful providers, such as the University of Plymouth, wish to stay involved in ITT delivery. To support these partnership conversations the Department published guidance, as well as information on funding support, on 12 December 2022 which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/initial-teacher-training-itt-forming-partnerships.
The accreditation process concluded in September 2022 and was followed by an appeals process which concluded in December 2022. The Department does not intend to run any further accreditation rounds before the first delivery of reformed ITT in September 2024. The next round of accreditation is expected to take place during 2025/26, after the reforms have embedded into the system.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the most recent round of Initial Teacher Training accreditation on recruitment in STEM subjects.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Quality of teaching is the single most important in-school factor for improving outcomes for children. Reforms to the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) market will help all trainees across the country receive quality ITT provision and further support at every stage of their teaching career. The reforms are a significant step in the delivery of the Department’s programme to create a world class teacher development system.
The Department remains committed to supporting the supply of high quality teacher training in all areas of the country. 179 providers have been accredited to deliver ITT from September 2024, following a rigorous accreditation process designed to drive up the quality and consistency of ITT leading to Qualified Teacher Status. These providers cover all regions of the country and include new entrants to the market. The Department will continue to monitor the market and review its implementation measures to ensure that there is sufficient provision of consistently high performing ITT provision, in all subjects, driven by demand.
The Department continues to provide significant support to attract the best possible candidates into teacher training. £181 million has been made available in bursaries and scholarships to attract trainee teachers in high priority subjects for the 2023/24 academic year, a £52 million increase on the current academic year. As graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects attract the highest salaries outside teaching, the Department is offering a £27,000 tax-free bursary and a £29,000 tax-free scholarship in chemistry, computing, mathematics, and physics. In addition, a Levelling Up Premium worth up to £3,000 tax-free annually is available for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools early in their career. This reflects the priority the Department places on training teachers to teach STEM subjects. It will also support recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in the subjects, schools and areas that need them most.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of its most recent round of Initial Teacher Training accreditation on recruitment in STEM subjects.
Answered by Nick Gibb
In the 2019 Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy, the Department committed to reviewing the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) market, with the aim to make it more effective.
The subsequent ITT accreditation process was recommended by an expert advisory group and implemented following public consultation. The process was designed to assess providers’ capacity to deliver high quality, reformed ITT from September 2024, in line with the new Quality Requirements identified in the advisory group’s ITT Market Review.
The consultation invited views on any impact people considered could arise from implementation of the proposed Quality Requirements in relation to equalities issues. The Department also assessed the potential equalities impacts of the reforms and published the findings here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1037339/Government_response_to_the_initial_teacher_training__ITT__market_review_report_-_equalities_impact_assessment.pdf.
The Department continues to provide support to attract the best possible candidates to teacher training. £181 million has been made available in bursaries and scholarships to attract trainee teachers in high priority subjects for the 2023/24 academic year, which is a £52 million increase on the current academic year. As graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects attract the highest salaries outside teaching, the Department is offering a £27,000 tax free bursary and a £29,000 tax free scholarship in chemistry, computing, mathematics, and physics. In addition, a Levelling Up Premium worth up to £3,000 tax free annually is available for maths, physics, chemistry and computing teachers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools early in their career. This reflects the priority the Department places on training teachers to teach STEM subjects and on supporting the recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in the subjects, schools and areas that need them most.
The Department wants to attract and retain diverse, talented teachers from all backgrounds and support all teachers in their career journeys. The Department is committed to dismantling the stereotype of what a good teacher looks like and supporting people into teaching, regardless of their gender or background.
The new Apply for Teacher Training service, rolled out in October 2021, will allow the Department to collect more data, giving a greater insight into candidate behaviour and the behaviour of providers of teacher training, so that the Department can identify barriers and work to address them. The Department will continue to work closely with ITT providers to explore, design and test new interventions to ensure teaching is an inclusive career that is open to candidates from all backgrounds.
Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department conducted an Equality Impact Assessment for the most recent round of Initial Teacher Training accreditation.
Answered by Nick Gibb
In the 2019 Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy, the Department committed to reviewing the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) market, with the aim to make it more effective.
The subsequent ITT accreditation process was recommended by an expert advisory group and implemented following public consultation. The process was designed to assess providers’ capacity to deliver high quality, reformed ITT from September 2024, in line with the new Quality Requirements identified in the advisory group’s ITT Market Review.
The consultation invited views on any impact people considered could arise from implementation of the proposed Quality Requirements in relation to equalities issues. The Department also assessed the potential equalities impacts of the reforms and published the findings here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1037339/Government_response_to_the_initial_teacher_training__ITT__market_review_report_-_equalities_impact_assessment.pdf.
The Department continues to provide support to attract the best possible candidates to teacher training. £181 million has been made available in bursaries and scholarships to attract trainee teachers in high priority subjects for the 2023/24 academic year, which is a £52 million increase on the current academic year. As graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects attract the highest salaries outside teaching, the Department is offering a £27,000 tax free bursary and a £29,000 tax free scholarship in chemistry, computing, mathematics, and physics. In addition, a Levelling Up Premium worth up to £3,000 tax free annually is available for maths, physics, chemistry and computing teachers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools early in their career. This reflects the priority the Department places on training teachers to teach STEM subjects and on supporting the recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in the subjects, schools and areas that need them most.
The Department wants to attract and retain diverse, talented teachers from all backgrounds and support all teachers in their career journeys. The Department is committed to dismantling the stereotype of what a good teacher looks like and supporting people into teaching, regardless of their gender or background.
The new Apply for Teacher Training service, rolled out in October 2021, will allow the Department to collect more data, giving a greater insight into candidate behaviour and the behaviour of providers of teacher training, so that the Department can identify barriers and work to address them. The Department will continue to work closely with ITT providers to explore, design and test new interventions to ensure teaching is an inclusive career that is open to candidates from all backgrounds.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the value of the Initial Teacher Training Market Review to meeting teacher recruitment targets.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) reforms are a significant step in the delivery of the Department’s programme to create a world class teacher development system and transform the support teachers receive at every stage of their career. 179 providers have been accredited to deliver ITT from September 2024, following a rigorous accreditation process designed to drive up the quality and consistency of ITT leading to Qualified Teacher Status. These providers cover all regions of the country and include new entrants to the market.
Safeguarding teacher supply is a key priority. The Department will continually monitor provision levels to ensure that there are sufficient ITT places to meet teacher recruitment targets. The reforms aim to ensure every trainee experiences high quality and coherent ITT programmes.
The accreditation process concluded in September 2022 and was followed by an appeals process, which concluded in December 2022. The Department does not intend to run any further accreditation rounds before the first delivery of reformed ITT in September 2024.
The Department expects the next round of accreditation to take place during the 2025/26 academic year, after the reforms have embedded into the system. The Department will continue to work with the high quality providers who have been accredited to ensure that sufficient training places are available in any areas of concern.
The Department is working with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure sufficient ITT places across the country from the 2024/25 academic year. The Department is focusing on utilising local knowledge and relationships as well as prioritising a sector led approach to sufficiency. This includes working with a range of sector stakeholders to ensure a wide range of views are represented, including those of Universities Council for The Education of Teachers, The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, and different Higher Education Institutions representative groups.
The Department is actively encouraging partnership and expansions in areas which may have fewer providers following the accreditation process. Some providers have indicated that positive discussions are underway. To support these partnership conversations, the Department published guidance on 12 December and confirmed that funding will be available to support with the costs of developing partnerships in key regions. The guidance can be accessed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1123075/Initial_teacher_training__ITT__-_forming_partnerships.pdf.
The Department is clear that implementing these changes now, will give all trainees across the country access to the highest quality ITT provision. A value for money assessment of the ITT Market Review was completed and published in 2022 as part of the accounting officer assessment for the ITT Reform programme. This concluded that the programme represented good value for money for the Exchequer.
Officials regularly meet with sector bodies and stakeholders that fulfil important roles and have an interest in teacher training and the recruitment and retention of teachers.
This engagement includes regular meetings with Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers and representative bodies such as the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) and the National School Based-Teacher Trainers (NASBTT).
In our Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy (2019), the Department committed to reviewing the ITT market to support it to work more efficiently and effectively. Throughout the ITT Market Review, officials engaged with UCET, NASBTT and other representatives of teacher training providers including meeting with Russell Group universities involved in teacher training.
The Department is also focusing on utilising local knowledge and relationships as well as prioritising a sector-led approach to sufficiency, working closely with experts including UCET, NASBTT and Teaching School Hubs Council. The Department will continue to work with sector stakeholders to help support targeted provider expansion and partnerships.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the value for money to the public purse of the Initial Teacher Training Market Review.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) reforms are a significant step in the delivery of the Department’s programme to create a world class teacher development system and transform the support teachers receive at every stage of their career. 179 providers have been accredited to deliver ITT from September 2024, following a rigorous accreditation process designed to drive up the quality and consistency of ITT leading to Qualified Teacher Status. These providers cover all regions of the country and include new entrants to the market.
Safeguarding teacher supply is a key priority. The Department will continually monitor provision levels to ensure that there are sufficient ITT places to meet teacher recruitment targets. The reforms aim to ensure every trainee experiences high quality and coherent ITT programmes.
The accreditation process concluded in September 2022 and was followed by an appeals process, which concluded in December 2022. The Department does not intend to run any further accreditation rounds before the first delivery of reformed ITT in September 2024.
The Department expects the next round of accreditation to take place during the 2025/26 academic year, after the reforms have embedded into the system. The Department will continue to work with the high quality providers who have been accredited to ensure that sufficient training places are available in any areas of concern.
The Department is working with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure sufficient ITT places across the country from the 2024/25 academic year. The Department is focusing on utilising local knowledge and relationships as well as prioritising a sector led approach to sufficiency. This includes working with a range of sector stakeholders to ensure a wide range of views are represented, including those of Universities Council for The Education of Teachers, The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, and different Higher Education Institutions representative groups.
The Department is actively encouraging partnership and expansions in areas which may have fewer providers following the accreditation process. Some providers have indicated that positive discussions are underway. To support these partnership conversations, the Department published guidance on 12 December and confirmed that funding will be available to support with the costs of developing partnerships in key regions. The guidance can be accessed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1123075/Initial_teacher_training__ITT__-_forming_partnerships.pdf.
The Department is clear that implementing these changes now, will give all trainees across the country access to the highest quality ITT provision. A value for money assessment of the ITT Market Review was completed and published in 2022 as part of the accounting officer assessment for the ITT Reform programme. This concluded that the programme represented good value for money for the Exchequer.
Officials regularly meet with sector bodies and stakeholders that fulfil important roles and have an interest in teacher training and the recruitment and retention of teachers.
This engagement includes regular meetings with Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers and representative bodies such as the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) and the National School Based-Teacher Trainers (NASBTT).
In our Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy (2019), the Department committed to reviewing the ITT market to support it to work more efficiently and effectively. Throughout the ITT Market Review, officials engaged with UCET, NASBTT and other representatives of teacher training providers including meeting with Russell Group universities involved in teacher training.
The Department is also focusing on utilising local knowledge and relationships as well as prioritising a sector-led approach to sufficiency, working closely with experts including UCET, NASBTT and Teaching School Hubs Council. The Department will continue to work with sector stakeholders to help support targeted provider expansion and partnerships.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has held recent discussions with (a) the Russell Group and (b) Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers on taking steps to develop partnerships between recently accredited providers and unsuccessful applications to the initial teacher training market review.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) reforms are a significant step in the delivery of the Department’s programme to create a world class teacher development system and transform the support teachers receive at every stage of their career. 179 providers have been accredited to deliver ITT from September 2024, following a rigorous accreditation process designed to drive up the quality and consistency of ITT leading to Qualified Teacher Status. These providers cover all regions of the country and include new entrants to the market.
Safeguarding teacher supply is a key priority. The Department will continually monitor provision levels to ensure that there are sufficient ITT places to meet teacher recruitment targets. The reforms aim to ensure every trainee experiences high quality and coherent ITT programmes.
The accreditation process concluded in September 2022 and was followed by an appeals process, which concluded in December 2022. The Department does not intend to run any further accreditation rounds before the first delivery of reformed ITT in September 2024.
The Department expects the next round of accreditation to take place during the 2025/26 academic year, after the reforms have embedded into the system. The Department will continue to work with the high quality providers who have been accredited to ensure that sufficient training places are available in any areas of concern.
The Department is working with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure sufficient ITT places across the country from the 2024/25 academic year. The Department is focusing on utilising local knowledge and relationships as well as prioritising a sector led approach to sufficiency. This includes working with a range of sector stakeholders to ensure a wide range of views are represented, including those of Universities Council for The Education of Teachers, The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, and different Higher Education Institutions representative groups.
The Department is actively encouraging partnership and expansions in areas which may have fewer providers following the accreditation process. Some providers have indicated that positive discussions are underway. To support these partnership conversations, the Department published guidance on 12 December and confirmed that funding will be available to support with the costs of developing partnerships in key regions. The guidance can be accessed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1123075/Initial_teacher_training__ITT__-_forming_partnerships.pdf.
The Department is clear that implementing these changes now, will give all trainees across the country access to the highest quality ITT provision. A value for money assessment of the ITT Market Review was completed and published in 2022 as part of the accounting officer assessment for the ITT Reform programme. This concluded that the programme represented good value for money for the Exchequer.
Officials regularly meet with sector bodies and stakeholders that fulfil important roles and have an interest in teacher training and the recruitment and retention of teachers.
This engagement includes regular meetings with Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers and representative bodies such as the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) and the National School Based-Teacher Trainers (NASBTT).
In our Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy (2019), the Department committed to reviewing the ITT market to support it to work more efficiently and effectively. Throughout the ITT Market Review, officials engaged with UCET, NASBTT and other representatives of teacher training providers including meeting with Russell Group universities involved in teacher training.
The Department is also focusing on utilising local knowledge and relationships as well as prioritising a sector-led approach to sufficiency, working closely with experts including UCET, NASBTT and Teaching School Hubs Council. The Department will continue to work with sector stakeholders to help support targeted provider expansion and partnerships.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) stakeholders on the impact of the initial teacher training market review on provider capacity across all regions in England.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) reforms are a significant step in the delivery of the Department’s programme to create a world class teacher development system and transform the support teachers receive at every stage of their career. 179 providers have been accredited to deliver ITT from September 2024, following a rigorous accreditation process designed to drive up the quality and consistency of ITT leading to Qualified Teacher Status. These providers cover all regions of the country and include new entrants to the market.
Safeguarding teacher supply is a key priority. The Department will continually monitor provision levels to ensure that there are sufficient ITT places to meet teacher recruitment targets. The reforms aim to ensure every trainee experiences high quality and coherent ITT programmes.
The accreditation process concluded in September 2022 and was followed by an appeals process, which concluded in December 2022. The Department does not intend to run any further accreditation rounds before the first delivery of reformed ITT in September 2024.
The Department expects the next round of accreditation to take place during the 2025/26 academic year, after the reforms have embedded into the system. The Department will continue to work with the high quality providers who have been accredited to ensure that sufficient training places are available in any areas of concern.
The Department is working with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure sufficient ITT places across the country from the 2024/25 academic year. The Department is focusing on utilising local knowledge and relationships as well as prioritising a sector led approach to sufficiency. This includes working with a range of sector stakeholders to ensure a wide range of views are represented, including those of Universities Council for The Education of Teachers, The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, and different Higher Education Institutions representative groups.
The Department is actively encouraging partnership and expansions in areas which may have fewer providers following the accreditation process. Some providers have indicated that positive discussions are underway. To support these partnership conversations, the Department published guidance on 12 December and confirmed that funding will be available to support with the costs of developing partnerships in key regions. The guidance can be accessed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1123075/Initial_teacher_training__ITT__-_forming_partnerships.pdf.
The Department is clear that implementing these changes now, will give all trainees across the country access to the highest quality ITT provision. A value for money assessment of the ITT Market Review was completed and published in 2022 as part of the accounting officer assessment for the ITT Reform programme. This concluded that the programme represented good value for money for the Exchequer.
Officials regularly meet with sector bodies and stakeholders that fulfil important roles and have an interest in teacher training and the recruitment and retention of teachers.
This engagement includes regular meetings with Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers and representative bodies such as the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) and the National School Based-Teacher Trainers (NASBTT).
In our Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy (2019), the Department committed to reviewing the ITT market to support it to work more efficiently and effectively. Throughout the ITT Market Review, officials engaged with UCET, NASBTT and other representatives of teacher training providers including meeting with Russell Group universities involved in teacher training.
The Department is also focusing on utilising local knowledge and relationships as well as prioritising a sector-led approach to sufficiency, working closely with experts including UCET, NASBTT and Teaching School Hubs Council. The Department will continue to work with sector stakeholders to help support targeted provider expansion and partnerships.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to conduct a review with representatives of (a) the Russell Group of universities, (b) Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers and (c) other stakeholders on the teacher recruitment and retention strategy.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) reforms are a significant step in the delivery of the Department’s programme to create a world class teacher development system and transform the support teachers receive at every stage of their career. 179 providers have been accredited to deliver ITT from September 2024, following a rigorous accreditation process designed to drive up the quality and consistency of ITT leading to Qualified Teacher Status. These providers cover all regions of the country and include new entrants to the market.
Safeguarding teacher supply is a key priority. The Department will continually monitor provision levels to ensure that there are sufficient ITT places to meet teacher recruitment targets. The reforms aim to ensure every trainee experiences high quality and coherent ITT programmes.
The accreditation process concluded in September 2022 and was followed by an appeals process, which concluded in December 2022. The Department does not intend to run any further accreditation rounds before the first delivery of reformed ITT in September 2024.
The Department expects the next round of accreditation to take place during the 2025/26 academic year, after the reforms have embedded into the system. The Department will continue to work with the high quality providers who have been accredited to ensure that sufficient training places are available in any areas of concern.
The Department is working with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure sufficient ITT places across the country from the 2024/25 academic year. The Department is focusing on utilising local knowledge and relationships as well as prioritising a sector led approach to sufficiency. This includes working with a range of sector stakeholders to ensure a wide range of views are represented, including those of Universities Council for The Education of Teachers, The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, and different Higher Education Institutions representative groups.
The Department is actively encouraging partnership and expansions in areas which may have fewer providers following the accreditation process. Some providers have indicated that positive discussions are underway. To support these partnership conversations, the Department published guidance on 12 December and confirmed that funding will be available to support with the costs of developing partnerships in key regions. The guidance can be accessed at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1123075/Initial_teacher_training__ITT__-_forming_partnerships.pdf.
The Department is clear that implementing these changes now, will give all trainees across the country access to the highest quality ITT provision. A value for money assessment of the ITT Market Review was completed and published in 2022 as part of the accounting officer assessment for the ITT Reform programme. This concluded that the programme represented good value for money for the Exchequer.
Officials regularly meet with sector bodies and stakeholders that fulfil important roles and have an interest in teacher training and the recruitment and retention of teachers.
This engagement includes regular meetings with Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers and representative bodies such as the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) and the National School Based-Teacher Trainers (NASBTT).
In our Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy (2019), the Department committed to reviewing the ITT market to support it to work more efficiently and effectively. Throughout the ITT Market Review, officials engaged with UCET, NASBTT and other representatives of teacher training providers including meeting with Russell Group universities involved in teacher training.
The Department is also focusing on utilising local knowledge and relationships as well as prioritising a sector-led approach to sufficiency, working closely with experts including UCET, NASBTT and Teaching School Hubs Council. The Department will continue to work with sector stakeholders to help support targeted provider expansion and partnerships.