Guidance

Initial teacher training (ITT): accredited ITT provider closure and withdrawal of ITT accreditation

Updated 1 September 2023

Applies to England

This guidance sets out accreditation withdrawal policies and closure arrangements including:

• voluntary closure policy, notification procedure and requests for a temporary pause in provision
• circumstances in which the Secretary of State for Education may withdraw accreditation including procedures that will be followed
• requirements of accredited ITT providers during the closure period
• processes for accredited ITT providers and DfE to follow when an accredited ITT provider stops offering ITT provision
• processes for accredited ITT providers who decide not to apply for, or did not gain, ITT accreditation status from the 2024 to 2025 academic year

DfE will contact existing accredited ITT providers, who will no longer be accredited to deliver ITT from September 2024, by the end of the 2022 to 2023 academic year.

A DfE ITT Associate will be assigned to work with the accredited ITT provider to facilitate market exit.

Accredited ITT providers can contact [email protected] if they wish to discuss their accreditation status and market exit.

Voluntary closure policy and procedures

This section sets out the policy and procedures for accredited ITT providers who stop offering ITT provision.

Accredited ITT providers intending to voluntarily stop offering ITT provision and withdraw their accreditation status, whether permanently or temporarily, must inform DfE by emailing [email protected].

Notification of voluntary decision

The accounting officer must notify DfE of the accredited ITT provider’s intention to voluntarily stop offering or temporarily pause ITT provision, by emailing [email protected].

To support continuity in trainee’s provision, notifications should be sent no later than the end of March for the academic year in which the accredited ITT provider will stop offering ITT provision. DfE will consider notifications made after that date by exception.

The notification should include:

• confirmation that the closure decision has been ratified in accordance with the accredited ITT provider’s governance arrangements and the legal entity accounting officer
• reasons for the decision
• an anticipated date when recruitment will stop
• an anticipated effective date of closure when ITT delivery and qualified teacher status (QTS) awards will conclude
• anticipated number of trainees that may be required to transfer to alternative accredited ITT providers, for example deferred trainees
• whether there is an intention to become a lead partner with an accredited ITT provider, including:
  • the status of the partnership (such as holding initial talks, agreement drafted or a formal agreement in place)
  • whether active recruitment has begun for the partnership
  • whether any candidates yet to start should be transferred to an agreed course
• details of the designated point of contact who will co-ordinate the closure process on behalf of the accredited ITT provider
• the anticipated dates that training programmes will stop and recommence in the case of temporary closure

DfE will acknowledge receipt of the closure notification and assign a DfE ITT Associate to meet and discuss with the accredited ITT provider the optimum date for closure. The assigned ITT Associate will act as a key contact for the accredited ITT provider during the closure process.

Refer to accredited ITT provider requirements and responsibilities for further information on the process.

Requests for a temporary pause in provision will be considered by exception and must be agreed by DfE, accredited ITT providers should contact [email protected].

A temporary pause in provision would typically be for a maximum of 12 months. After this time the Secretary of State for Education reserves the right to withdraw accreditation if the accredited ITT provider fails to resume its ITT provision.

Withdrawal of accreditation status

This section sets out:

• circumstances that may lead to the withdrawal of accreditation
• the requirements of accredited ITT providers during the withdrawal process

DfE may withdraw accreditation of an accredited ITT provider where any one of the following takes place:

• QTS provision is consecutively of requires improvement or lower quality, as judged by Ofsted’s initial teacher education (ITE) inspection framework
• provision is non-compliant with one or more of the specified ITT criteria
• the accredited ITT provider stops offering provision without prior agreement with DfE
• the accredited ITT provider demonstrates impropriety or inadequate controls in its financial management, or does not comply with relevant financial reporting or governance requirements
• the accredited ITT provider fails to comply with DfE data and reporting requirements
• the accredited ITT provider fails to adhere to any DfE guidance relating to ITT

QTS provision judged as requires improvement or inadequate

Accredited ITT providers inspected by Ofsted against the current ITE framework before September 2024 and judged to be less than good following 2 consecutive inspections, will have their current accreditation reviewed with the possibility of their accreditation being withdrawn.

Where the accredited ITT provider has been successful in gaining accreditation from September 2024, they will be:

• permitted to re-enter the reformed market
• subject to additional checks during stage 2 of the accredited ITT provider improvement support and quality assurance process

Providers can expect to have an early Ofsted inspection in the new cycle starting spring 2025 and, if judged less than good, will have their accreditation withdrawn without the opportunity for further reinspection.

Where an accredited ITT provider has its first full inspection in 2024 and requires reinspection in 2025, the reinspection will take place against the September 2024 ITT criteria.

This policy also applies for accredited ITT providers delivering early years ITT (EYITT) leading to the award of early years teacher status (EYTS).

Ofsted complaint outcome

Where an accredited ITT provider has submitted a complaint to Ofsted after receiving a judgement of requires improvement or lower for the second time, withdrawal of accreditation will not start until the complaint has been heard and considered by Ofsted. This applies for any phase of its QTS provision.

Procedures for withdrawal

Where DfE intends to withdraw accreditation, the accredited ITT provider will be:

• given notice of the proposed withdrawal of accreditation setting out DfE’s concerns
• afforded an opportunity to respond

DfE will inform accredited ITT providers of the decision to withdraw accreditation within 10 working days of the decision. Accredited ITT providers should acknowledge receipt of the decision within 5 working days.

If the accredited ITT provider intends to request a review, they should refer to procedures set out in review of a decision to withdraw accreditation.

Where the accredited ITT provider does not request review or the decision is upheld following a review, the withdrawal process will continue and the provider will be assigned a DfE ITT Associate to provide support throughout the closure process. Please refer to accredited ITT provider requirements and responsibilities for further information.

The accredited ITT provider must continue to adhere to their responsibilities set out in this guidance until their provision has closed and accreditation status withdrawn.

Review of a decision to withdraw accreditation

Where DfE withdraws accreditation, the accredited ITT provider may request that DfE review its decision.

To request a review of a decision, the accredited ITT provider should email [email protected] using the subject line of ‘Official Sensitive: Withdrawal of accreditation – Request for review’. The email should be sent to DfE before the end of the fifteenth working day, starting with the working day after they received DfE’s email notifying withdrawal of accreditation.

Any queries about this process should be sent to [email protected].

Accredited ITT provider requirements and responsibilities

This table outlines the responsibilities of the accredited ITT provider and DfE for the withdrawal of accreditation status and closure of ITT provision.

A DfE ITT Associate will be assigned to work with the accredited ITT provider during the closure period. Once the closure is started, the DfE ITT Associate will share a further document including all stages of the closure process to be read alongside this guidance.

Throughout the closure process the accredited ITT provider will work with DfE’s:

• ITT market regulation team
• ITT funding team
• ITT Digital Services team

Accredited ITT provider responsibilities	DfE responsibilities
Formally notify DfE by email of intention to close provision to ITT[email protected].	Assign a DfE ITT Associate to meet and discuss with the accredited ITT provider the optimum date for closure. The DfE ITT Associate will act as a key contact for the accredited ITT provider during the closure.
Inform all candidates, trainees, lead partners, placement schools and any other external stakeholders of proposed closure of provision.	Inform relevant DfE teams of the intended closure of provision.
Complete the ITT provider closure documentation.	A DfE ITT Associate will provide support to complete the ITT provider closure document. They will then return the document to ITT[email protected]
Comply with the ITT criteria throughout the closure period and maintain high quality training provision.	Ongoing engagement and support from assigned DfE ITT Associate.
Identify alternative accredited ITT providers and ensure that candidates who have been offered a place have confirmed provision to continue and complete their programme. This includes those who have deferred or interrupted their training.	Ongoing engagement and support from assigned DfE ITT Associate.
If partnering with another accredited ITT provider this must be agreed and reflected in the Find and apply for teacher training digital services.	Ongoing engagement and support from assigned DfE ITT Associate. DfE digital services to provide further onboarding and offboarding guidance for the accredited ITT provider to follow.
Fulfil or transfer any School Direct trainee places and engage the School Direct lead schools during the closure period.	Assigned DfE ITT Associates will confirm with DfE alternative arrangements for deferred trainees or trainees who have interrupted their training.
Publish closure of teacher training courses and update accredited ITT provider’s website with date of closure or intention to partner with another accredited ITT provider (where applicable).	Remove all accredited ITT provider-led places allocated after the date of closure.
Provide DfE with all required financial data including annual accounts return issued in the September following closure.	Provide financial reporting support and advice.
Make provision for early career teachers to request and obtain references for future employment.	Inform Ofsted and other external stakeholders of proposed closure.
Continue to supply trainee data to DfE during closure process.	Where appropriate, remove accredited ITT provider from ‘assessment only’ register and register of EYITT providers.
Communicate with all affected applicants holding offers on DfE’s apply for teacher training service, informing them of the decision to close and setting out options.	Where appropriate, remove accredited ITT provider from subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) directory.
Ensure QTS is awarded prior to closure (where applicable) and trainee data is up to date on register trainee teachers.	Ongoing engagement and support from DfE ITT Associate.

Alternative arrangements for candidates and trainees

Where an accredited ITT provider has offered candidates a place on provision that will stop, it is their responsibility to work with the candidate and alternative accredited ITT providers to find a suitable alternative course.

Closing accredited ITT providers should ensure that the alternative course is comparable to their own. This particularly applies to the location and appropriateness of any school placements.

Undergraduate trainees should be able to complete their degree after the closure is confirmed either with the closing accredited ITT provider or with an alternative academic awarding body. It is the closing accredited ITT provider’s responsibility to make the arrangements and obtain agreements for this.

All lead partners and placement schools should be informed of the decision to close as soon as possible after the decision has been made. Lead partners and placement schools may continue to deliver ITT under a different accredited ITT provider partnership.

The closure process and procedures

Any applicants holding offers on the apply for teacher training service for the academic year after closure should be informed of the decision to close and provided with the option of a place at an alternative accredited ITT provider. Alternative arrangements must be approved by DfE as part of the closure process.

Accredited ITT providers must continue to supply information on trainee data to DfE throughout the closure period and ensure that trainee information on the register trainee teachers service is up to date by closure.

Before the final closure of provision, an alternative accredited ITT provider must ensure any deferred trainees are listed with their trainees on the register trainee teachers service.

Before submitting any requests for changes to courses on digital services, accredited ITT providers must confirm the arrangements that have been agreed with lead partners, placement schools and other accredited ITT providers by emailing [email protected].

If lead partners, placement schools and other accredited ITT providers offer early years courses leading to EYTS, they can request permission to recruit and receive allocations for these courses by emailing [email protected].

The ITT provider closure document

An ITT provider closure document will be developed as part of the closure process and must be completed and returned ahead of formal closure.

The purpose of the ITT provider closure document and engagement with the DfE ITT Associate is to ensure:

• compliance with the assessment only, EYITT and ITT criteria and their supporting advice
• that the interests of trainees are protected
• that any financial obligations are met

The ITT provider closure document asks for information about the:

• number of current trainees (full time and part time)
• number of current assessment only candidates
• number of trainees who have deferred or interrupted their training
• number of trainees who have been required by the accredited ITT provider to extend their training
• number of successful applicants and those awaiting interview
• closure action plans

Confirmed closure and accreditation withdrawal

Following engagement with the DfE ITT Associate, the accredited ITT provider’s accounting officer will sign off the final ITT provider closure document. The DfE ITT Associate will return the final provider closure document to ITT[email protected].

The finalised ITT provider closure document is reviewed by DfE’s ITT Market Regulation team. If the document and ITT Associate assessment is satisfactory, DfE will issue a confirmation of closure letter to the accredited ITT provider prior to the agreed closure date.

Finance and funding

Once a closure date is agreed between the accredited ITT provider and DfE, and following cessation of ITT provision, DfE will require an Annex G return to be completed. This is the same return that accredited ITT providers complete on an annual basis.

All sections within this return need to be completed, signed by the accounting officer, and independently audited. An audited copy must be submitted to DfE at ITT[email protected] by 31 December following the last academic year of operation.

If there is any unspent DfE funding recorded on the Annex G that has not been committed as part of the closure and is due to be recovered from the closing accredited ITT provider, DfE will action the recovery by raising an invoice for the required amount.

Any unpaid bursaries for deferred trainees will be recorded on the Annex G as part of any unspent balance owing to DfE and will be passed onto the alternative accredited ITT provider once the trainee resumes their training.

Any deferred funding will be made available to the new accredited ITT provider (where applicable) when the continuing trainees are confirmed to be on the relevant course and remain eligible to receive the funding. This will be recovered by DfE if the trainee subsequently withdraws from the course.