Guidance

Overview: initial teacher education for FE (guidance documents, framework, funding and financial support)

Updated 15 April 2026

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-initial-teacher-education/overview-the-initial-teacher-education-system-for-fe

Further education (FE) initial teacher education (ITE) is the period of professional training and development that new teachers undertake. It is critical to ensuring the supply of high-quality teachers to the FE sector.

ITE and ITT (initial teacher training) are used interchangeably across these pages. The term ITT(FE) is referenced to ensure alignment with the relevant legislation, whereas ITE is used to reflect sector preference.

Important changes for academic year 2026 to 2027

From 15 April 2026 onwards, The Further Education (Initial Teacher Training) Regulations 2026 (made under section 17 of the Skills and Post 16 Education Act 2022) come into force and will have effect from 1 September 2026.

As such, all requirements specified under these regulations must be followed by all providers of FE ITE courses included on the specified list, effective from academic year 2026 to 2027.

Delivery of ITE for FE

All educational institutions in England that deliver specified FE ITE courses starting on or after 1 September 2026 are now required to have regard to the Delivery guidance for further education initial teacher education courses.

For courses that commenced prior to academic year 2026 to 2027, providers should follow the delivery guidance while noting that the statutory requirement to ‘have regard’ does not apply.

Curriculum guidance for FE ITE

All educational institutions in England that deliver specified FE ITE courses that commence on or after 1 September 2026 are required to have regard to Curriculum guidance for FE ITE.

Registration requirements and provision of information requirements

All educational institutions in England delivering specified FE ITE courses that start on or after 1 September 2026 must:

ITE qualification framework

Experts from the FE teacher training sector have developed a framework for an FE ITE qualification. They have based this on the learning and skills teacher occupational standard.

Qualifications at level 5 developed under this framework are called the Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills).

Funding for FE ITE qualifications

Only FE ITE courses on the list of recognised FE teacher training courses can receive student support funding. This applies to students starting their training in the following academic years:

  • 2024 to 2025
  • 2025 to 2026
  • 2026 to 2027

Every course on the list must allow a student to meet the learning and skills teacher occupational standard. This standard sets out the knowledge, skills and behaviours that FE teachers must demonstrate to reach occupational competence.

The list of recognised courses does not affect:

  • trainees undertaking a course that started prior to the 2024 to 2025 academic year, such as a level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (DET), or a DET-compliant qualification validated by a higher-education provider at level 5 and above
  • the funding for FE ITE qualifications through government-backed programmes such as Taking Teaching Further

We will review the list of recognised courses at least annually. For more information, refer to the government’s response to the consultation on FE ITE reform.

All publicly funded FE ITE is subject to inspection by Ofsted.

FE ITE courses cannot be funded via other routes such as advanced learner loans, as specified in qualification funding approval: common approval principles.

Financial support

Financial help is available for people undertaking FE ITE through:

Employers and apprenticeship providers can get up to £7,000 in funding for each learning and skills teacher apprentice through the growth and skills levy.

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