Russell Group response to the ITT market review appeals process

13 December 2022

In response to reports that all appeals against unsuccessful accreditation bids by initial teacher training (ITT) providers have been rejected by the Department for Education, a Russell Group spokesperson said:

"The new accreditation process for teacher training has led to a 25% reduction in overall number of providers, and we remain concerned that it is overly prescriptive and limits universities’ flexibility to deliver innovative curricula.

"We face significant challenges in teacher retention and recruitment, with the Government’s own recruitment targets missed for 9 out of the past 10 years. We hope that Government will consider changes to the accreditation process, such as only requiring new providers or those deemed ‘at risk’ to undergo Stage 2, to ensure that high-quality institutions can stay in the market and prevent cold spots around the country where no ITT provision is available."