All providers of ITT are required to obtain accreditation in order to be funded to run courses of ITT and to recommend their trainees for qualified teacher status (QTS). These pages provide information on how to become an accredited ITT provider, and on the criteria that providers are required to meet.
The meaning of accreditation
The Education (School Teachers' Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2003 state that:
…The Teacher Training Agency (TTA) may accredit an institution as a provider of courses or programmes of initial school teacher training… which satisfies such criteria as may from time to time be specified by the Secretary of State.
Accreditation is awarded to the institution and covers all courses run by that provider and is neither conditional nor time-limited.
In order to be accredited by the TDA, formerly the TTA, a provider must design training which meets the requirements specified by the Secretary of State. This must allow trainees the opportunity to attain QTS. To be awarded QTS, trainees must demonstrate that they have achieved all the standards as specified by the Secretary of State.
The standards and requirements for ITT are set out in the publication Professional Standards for Qualified Teacher Status and Requirements for Initial Teacher Training and its accompanying guidance document.
Current conditions
Following publication of the Government’s Implementation plan (PDF, 134KB) (Training our next generation of outstanding teachers) in November 2011, the TDA is working to streamline the accreditation process. The new process has been successfully trialled and a series of meetings are planned for the start of 2012 with interested parties.
Any enquiries regarding becoming an accredited provider should be made in writing to accreditation@tda.gov.uk in the first instance.