The Teaching Agency (TA) has a statutory function to accredit providers of initial teacher training (ITT) who can demonstrate that they will satisfy the Secretary of State's criteria for ITT.
Any potential provider of ITT is required to secure accreditation in order to deliver courses that lead to a recommendation for qualified teacher status (QTS).
The accreditation process
The first step in the accreditation process is for an institution interested in becoming an accredited provider to attend one of the monthly briefing events held for all potential new providers (PNPs) of ITT. To book a place at one of these meetings, PNPs should contact the Teaching Agency Accreditation team.
Following the briefing the PNP will submit a business case to the TA, setting out the rationale for the proposed new provision. Once this has been approved, the PNP will prepare and submit detailed documentation against the TA’s assessment criteria. These are currently under review.
The TA will scrutinise a PNP's proposal and, when it is satisfied that all of the assessment criteria have been met, will recommend accreditation to the TA’s chief executive.
ITT criteria
In order to be accredited, a provider must design training which meets the Secretary of State’s ITT criteria. All ITT providers need to ensure that all programmes of ITT comply with the ITT criteria. Ofsted inspects providers for compliance with the criteria. The ITT criteria also include criteria for the withdrawal of accreditation.
Teachers' standards
Only those trainee teachers who have met all of the standards for QTS can be recommended for the award of QTS. The new Teachers' Standards came into effect on 1 September 2012. All accredited ITT providers must ensure that all trainees who complete their training on or after 1 September 2012 are assessed against these standards.
Contact details
Teaching Agency Accreditation Team
Email: TA.accreditation@education.gsi.gov.uk
