All providers of initial teacher training (ITT) are required to obtain accreditation in order to be funded to run courses of ITT and to recommend their trainees for qualified teacher status (QTS).
The meaning of accreditation
The Education Act 1994 defines an accredited institution as “...an institution accredited by the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) ... as a provider of courses satisfying such criteria as may from time to time be specified by the Secretary of State."
Accreditation is awarded to the provider and covers all courses run by that provider and is neither conditional nor time limited.
In order to be accredited by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) formerly the TTA, a provider must design training which meets the requirements specified by the secretary of state and which allows trainees to achieve the award of QTS. To be awarded QTS, trainees must demonstrate they have achieved all the standards as specified by the Secretary of State.
The standards and requirements for ITT are set out in the publication Professional Standards for Qualified Teacher Status and Requirements for Initial Teacher Training. There is also an accompanying guidance. These are available at www.tda.gov.uk/qts
A new approach to accreditation
Since July 2004, the TDA has been using a prospectus approach to accreditation and publishes its priorities for ITT annually. The TDA’s prospectus sets out its ITT priorities for:
- primary provision
- secondary provision
- priority subjects
- widening diversity.
