Initial teacher training (ITT): accreditation for the academic year 2026 to 2027
Find out about eligibility and how to become an accredited provider of ITT for the academic year 2026 to 2027.
Applies to England
This guidance is for organisations who wish to apply to become an accredited ITT provider and deliver from the academic year 2026 to 2027.
Information will be made available in Autumn 2025 for organisations seeking accreditation from the academic year 2027 to 2028.
Accreditation process
Organisations who deliver ITT leading to qualified teacher status (QTS) must be accredited by the Department for Education (DfE). Since September 2024, all accredited ITT providers have been delivering courses that incorporate the new quality requirements, embedded into the current ITT criteria.
This targeted accreditation round will provide an opportunity for eligible organisations to demonstrate their ability to meet the new quality requirements and provide a smooth transition from any existing partnership arrangements.
DfE ran an expression of interest (EOI) exercise in November 2024 for eligible organisations to register their interest in the accreditation round. Eligible organisations who did not submit an EOI are not prevented from making an application.
The assessment for this accreditation process will include a written and verbal submission. Further information relating to the application process will be issued directly to applicants in due course.
Eligibility criteria
You can only provide courses that lead to a recommendation for QTS if you are accredited by the DfE.
To be eligible to apply in this accreditation round to deliver in the academic year 2026 to 2027, applicants must meet all the following criteria:
- have previously held accreditation to deliver ITT leading to QTS
- be delivering as a lead partner during academic year 2024 to 2025
- have not received two consecutive ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ judgements from Ofsted in the previous inspection cycle (2021 to 2024)
Application guidance
All potential applicants must complete the ‘Apply for Initial Teacher Training Accreditation’ form to declare their intended year of delivery. Forms must be received by 11:59pm on 16 March 2025.
Submission of the form will generate an application reference code which applicants must note and use in all future communications throughout this accreditation process.
On 7 March 2025, following eligibility checks, organisations for 2026 to 2027 delivery who have submitted the form will be sent an applicant pack. The pack will contain further information on next steps and guidance to support their written and verbal submissions.
For the written submission, applicants will submit a curriculum portfolio to demonstrate how their curriculum meets the quality requirements in the ITT criteria. The submission window will remain open for one calendar month between March and April 2025.
For the verbal submission, all applicants will receive an invitation to interview using MS Teams. At interview, applicants will be asked to deliver a presentation to the panel, and to answer a range of questions to further demonstrate how they meet the quality requirements, building on evidence supplied in the written submission.
Following both the written and verbal submissions, an assessment will be made and moderated by panels of ITT experts.
Application timeline for academic year 2026 to 2027
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 26 February 2025 | ‘Apply for Initial Teacher Training Accreditation’ form opens |
| 7 March 2025 | Written submission window opens |
| 16 March 2025 | ‘Apply for Initial Teacher Training Accreditation’ form closes |
| 6 April 2025 | Written submission window closes |
| 28 April 2025 | Verbal submission window opens |
| 9 May 2025 | Verbal submission window closes |
| By 30 June 2025 | Outcomes of the accreditation round for academic year 2026 to 2027 delivery published |
Contact
If you are an eligible provider and have any queries concerning the ITT accreditation round, including any accessibility requirements, email itt.accreditation@education.gov.uk
If you are a potential candidate wishing to gain qualified teacher status (QTS), visit Get into Teaching.