Initial teacher training (ITT): accreditation for the academic year 2027 to 2028
Find out about eligibility and how to become an accredited provider of ITT for the academic year 2027 to 2028.
Applies to England
This guidance is for organisations who wish to apply to become an accredited ITT provider and deliver 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) and deliver ITT courses that meet the published ITT criteria. Since September 2024, all accredited ITT providers have been delivering courses that incorporate the new quality requirements, embedded into the current ITT criteria.
In November 2024, DfE announced an accreditation window, with two rounds for delivery beginning academic year 2026 to 2027 and academic year 2027 to 2028 respectively. The application process for the first round was undertaken during Spring 2025 and concluded in Summer 2025. The published outcomes can be found at List of providers accredited to deliver ITT from September 2026.
To ensure ongoing coverage and efficient delivery of initial teacher training where it is needed, DfE is now launching the second accreditation round. This round invites applications from eligible organisations who wish to deliver ITT leading to QTS from the academic year 2027 to 2028.
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.
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 QTS if you are accredited by DfE.
To be eligible to apply in this accreditation round to deliver in the academic year 2027 to 2028, organisations must meet all the following criteria:
- have previously held accreditation to deliver ITT leading to QTS
- be a training (lead) partner or have been delivering ITT that leads to QTS in the last 12 months
- have not received two consecutive ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ judgements from Ofsted in the previous inspection cycle (2021 to 2024)
Application guidance including registration form
Eligible organisations who wish to apply for the accreditation round must complete the short registration form Register for Initial Teacher Training accreditation for the academic year 2027 to 2028 by 5 January 2025.
Completion of the form will generate an application reference code which applicants must note and use in all future communications throughout this accreditation process.
Once forms are submitted, applicants will be subject to eligibility checks. Upon confirmation of these checks, eligible organisations will receive 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 published ITT criteria. The submission window will open on 19 January 2026 and will remain open for six weeks.
For the verbal submission, all applicants will receive an invitation to interview using MS Teams in Spring 2026. 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 the academic year 2027 to 2028
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 17 December 2025 | Initial Teacher Training Accreditation Registration Form for 2027 to 2028 Delivery opens |
| 5 January 2026 | Initial Teacher Training Accreditation Registration Form for 2027 to 2028 Delivery closes |
| 19 January 2026 | Applicant packs issued and written submission window opens |
| 2 March 2026 | Written submission window closes |
Following receipt of all Accreditation Registration forms, further dates, including the verbal submission opening and closing dates, will be released in due course.
Contact
If you are an eligible organisation 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 QTS, visit Get into Teaching.