Guidance

General mentor training grant: guidance for ITT providers, 2026 to 2027

Published 30 September 2026

Applies to England

This guidance is for accredited initial teacher training (ITT) providers.

It explains the actions you need to take to help placement schools identify and claim general mentor funding, including:

• keeping accurate mentor training records
• keeping accurate placement information
• helping schools claim funding
• supporting Department for Education (DfE) audit and assurance activity

You are responsible for making sure mentors get high quality initial training, and annual refresher training, to effectively support trainee teachers throughout their placements.

The ITT criteria have more information about quality requirements for mentoring.

Keeping records and showing evidence

You should keep robust systems to record mentor training attendance and completion.

The Department for Education (DfE) may ask for evidence relating to mentor training. You should be able to provide details including:

• the mentor’s name
• the mentor’s employing school or workplace
• how many hours of training each mentor completed

You should:

• make sure records are accurate and up to date
• keep records in line with your record keeping policies

DfE may require you to give us this evidence as part of assurance activity.

Examples may include:

• training attendance registers
• internal tracking systems (such as spreadsheets)
• correspondence with schools
• other relevant documentation

Keeping placement information in Register trainee teachers

You must add the details of trainees’ placements to the Register trainee teachers service in January of each academic year.

You must maintain this information throughout the academic year, and make sure it remains accurate and up to date.

We will check this data to make sure the number of trainees that started their training is accurate.

Keeping accurate school placement information helps to make sure schools can:

• be verified as eligible for general mentor funding
• access the Claim funding for general mentoring (Claim) service
• get invitations to submit claims

You must upload placement school data for any relevant training partners, for trainees starting ITT courses which lead to qualified teacher status from September 2026 onwards.

You should make sure data submitted for training partners is accurate and reflects current placement arrangements.

Supporting schools to claim funding

You have an important role in supporting placement schools to claim general mentor funding through the Claim service.

This includes making sure schools have the information they need to submit claims accurately, such as:

• the number of mentor training hours completed
• the full name of the accredited provider

You should also give them important information, including:

• claim window dates
• funding eligibility criteria

You should:

• keep accurate and up to date placement records
• confirm mentor training hours when required
• provide supporting evidence in response to assurance or audit requests

You can help schools submit successful claims and minimise delays in processing by providing timely information and keeping accurate records.

Audit and requirements

DfE will undertake audit and assurance activities to:

• verify grant claims
• make sure funding has been claimed correctly

As part of these activities, we may ask you to take part in an audit, or supply information, that confirms:

• mentor name and teacher reference number
• mentor training hours completed
• the school employing the mentor
• other relevant placement or training records

You should have relevant evidence available, and provide it promptly if we ask for it.