Initial Teacher Training – changes from September 2024

Update on changes to Initial Teacher Training from September 2024

• New Initial Teacher Training (ITT) criteria are coming in from September 2024. We want to make sure schools know about these changes in good time and have the opportunity to connect with local ITT providers if they would like to offer placements, mentors, pre-training school experience, support with recruitment, or other expertise and engagement. Involvement in ITT can help with recruitment to your teacher vacancies, as you have access to the pipeline of ECTs in your area.

• The changes that will affect ITT-school partnerships from 2024-25 are:
  • Lead Partners of accredited providers will have a new formal Partnership Agreement meeting the new criteria.
  • Intensive Training and Practice (ITaP) placements – a new requirement for trainees to have 4 weeks of additional focused training, separate from their main school placements, which may be led by a Lead Mentor in their school for a group of trainees; there will be additional funding for schools that host ITaPs and schools may work with an ITT Provider to offer an ITaP even if they don’t host trainees for block placements.
  • Placement Schools and Mentoring – the new criteria require trainees to have 1.5 hours of mentoring weekly during placements.
  • The responsibility and training expectation for Mentors and Lead Mentors is increased – ITT providers are charged with creating a professional network of well-trained mentors with a deep knowledge of the ITT curriculum and underpinning research base.
  • Mentors must attend 20 hours of initial training (with 6 hours annual refresher training); Lead Mentors must attend 30 hours of initial training (with 12 hours annual refresh); there will be funding for schools to enable mentors to engage with the required training (e.g. £876 for 20 hrs training completed) – schools will claim this (in arrears) directly from the DfE.
  • The Lead Mentor has a more substantial responsibility for the oversight, supervision and quality assurance of their Mentor team; there will be funding for schools that provide a Lead Mentor.

• Teaching School Hubs are required to audit the engagement of schools in their area with ITT provision, during 2023-24 and plans for 2024-25. We will be sending out a survey and contacting schools directly in order to complete this monitoring exercise.