Recruiting the required number of teachers into initial teacher training (ITT) in England has been very challenging following the pandemic. While the number of trainees on primary courses has generally been around the Department for Education’s target number, the number of trainees enrolled in secondary courses was 39 per cent below the target in 2022/23. NFER’s forecast of trainee numbers for 2023/24, based on applications data, suggests the target this year will be missed by 48 per cent.
Against this backdrop, the Department for Education pressed ahead with a plan to reform the structure of the ITT provider market. A key part was to introduce new Quality Requirements and to require all existing providers to be re-accredited to continue awarding qualified teacher status (QTS). The accreditation process also gave the opportunity for new providers to enter the market.
This meant a turbulent time for providers, with significant time and effort spent on the accreditation process, considerable uncertainty about the accreditation outcomes and further work to prepare revised curriculum materials before the reforms take effect next September.
