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Statutory Instruments

2026 No. 382

EDUCATION, ENGLAND

The Further Education (Initial Teacher Training) Regulations 2026

Made

25th March 2026

Coming into force

15th April 2026

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 17(1), (2) and (4) of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022(1) (“ the Act ”).

A draft of this instrument was laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament, in accordance with section 17(5) of the Act.

Citation, commencement, extent and application

1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Further Education (Initial Teacher Training) Regulations 2026.

(2) These Regulations come into force on 15th April 2026.

(3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, and apply in relation to England.

Interpretation

1. In these Regulations—

“ academic year ” means a period of 12 months beginning with 1st September and ending with 31st August;

“ relevant academic authority ” means the governing body, or other body having the functions of a governing body and includes a person acting with the authority of that body, of an educational institution providing specified ITT(FE) courses;

“ specified ITT(FE) courses ” has the meaning given in regulation 3(a);

“ student ” means a person who is undertaking a specified ITT(FE) course at an educational institution.

Specifying of courses of initial teacher training for further education

1. The Secretary of State must—

(a) specify ITT(FE) courses, or a description of ITT(FE) courses, from time to time for the purpose of section 17 of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022(2) (“specified ITT(FE) courses”), and

(b) maintain and publish a list of specified ITT(FE) courses in such form and manner as the Secretary of State considers appropriate(3).

Registration requirement and list of registered initial teacher training for further education providers

1. —(1) A relevant academic authority must apply to the Secretary of State to register each educational institution providing specified ITT(FE) courses in relation to which it has the functions of a governing body.

(2) The requirement under paragraph (1) must be fulfilled at such times as required by the Secretary of State for the next academic year to begin after the date of the application to register.

(3) The Secretary of State must register an educational institution to which an application made under paragraph (1) relates if the application satisfies the requirements of paragraph (4) for each institution.

(4) An application satisfies the requirements of this paragraph if—

(a) it is made in such form and manner as the Secretary of State may specify, and

(b) contains the information specified in paragraph (5).

(5) The information required under paragraph (4)(b) is—

(a) the name of the relevant academic authority,

(b) the name of each educational institution providing specified ITT(FE) courses in relation to which the relevant academic authority has the functions of a governing body,

(c) the title of the specified ITT(FE) courses each educational institution will be providing in the next academic year to begin after the date of the application to register, and

(d) such other information as the Secretary of State may specify.

(6) The Secretary of State—

(a) must maintain a list of the educational institutions registered under paragraph (3);

(b) may publish the list maintained under sub-paragraph (a), in such form and manner as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

Guidance on delivery of initial teacher training for further education

1. A relevant academic authority must have regard to any guidance on the delivery of initial teacher training for further education published by the Secretary of State from time to time(4).

Guidance on curriculum content

1. A relevant academic authority must have regard to any guidance on curriculum content for ITT(FE) courses published by the Secretary of State from time to time(5).

Provision of information

1. —(1) A relevant academic authority must provide the following information to the Secretary of State for each educational institution providing specified ITT(FE) courses in relation to which it has the functions of a governing body—

(a) the title of the specified ITT(FE) courses provided in the current academic year;

(b) the name and address of the person who awards or authenticates a qualification upon completion of the specified ITT(FE) courses, if different from the educational institution providing the specified ITT(FE) courses;

(c) information about—

(i) students;

(ii) individuals who have completed a specified ITT(FE) course—

(aa) in the current academic year, or

(bb) where the relevant academic authority has previously provided information under this regulation, since the date of the most recent information received from the relevant academic authority;

(d) such other information as the Secretary of State may specify.

(2) The information referred to under paragraph (1)(c) includes—

(a) for each student—

(i) the specified ITT(FE) course the student is undertaking, including the academic level;

(ii) the commencement date and anticipated duration of the specified ITT(FE) course the student is undertaking;

(iii) the subject specialism of the specified ITT(FE) course the student is undertaking;

(iv) whether the student’s mode of study is full-time or part-time;

(b) for each individual who has completed a specified ITT(FE) course—

(i) the specified ITT(FE) course completed by the individual, including the academic level;

(ii) the date the individual completed the specified ITT(FE) course;

(iii) the subject specialism of the specified ITT(FE) course completed by the individual.

(3) The information provided under paragraphs (1) and (2) must be provided in such form and manner, and at such times, as specified by the Secretary of State(6).

(4) A relevant academic authority is not required under paragraphs (1) and (2) to provide any information containing data which relates to a living individual who can be identified—

(a) from that data, or

(b) from that data and other information which is in possession of, or which is likely to come into the possession of, the Secretary of State.

Annual reports

1. —(1) The Secretary of State must, within six months beginning with the day after the end of each academic year, publish a report on initial teacher training for further education.

(2) The report under paragraph (1) must provide a summary of—

(a) the information received under regulations 4 and 7;

(b) compliance by relevant academic authorities with their obligations under regulations 4, 5, 6 and 7.

(3) The first report under paragraph (1) must relate to the academic year commencing with 1st September 2026.

Smith of Malvern

Minister of State

Department for Education

25th March 2026

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations introduce measures to improve the quality of courses of initial teacher training for further education (“ITT(FE) courses”).

Regulation 3 requires the Secretary of State to specify the ITT(FE) courses that are relevant for the purpose of section 17 of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022 (c. 21) (“specified ITT(FE) courses”).

Regulations 4, 5, 6 and 7 place obligations on governing bodies, or bodies equivalent to governing bodies, of educational institutions providing specified ITT(FE) courses (“relevant academic authorities”) to—

(a) register with the Secretary of State (regulation 4);

(b) have regard to guidance on the delivery of initial teacher training for further education (regulation 5);

(c) have regard to guidance on curriculum content for ITT(FE) courses (regulation 6);

(d) provide information about the specified ITT(FE) courses offered by the relevant academic authority, including details of students currently undertaking a specified ITT(FE) course and individuals who have completed a specified ITT(FE) course (regulation 7).

Regulation 4 also imposes an obligation on the Secretary of State to maintain a list of relevant academic authorities that have registered as providers of specified ITT(FE) courses, which the Secretary of State may publish.

Regulation 8 places an obligation on the Secretary of State to prepare and publish a report summarising the information received under regulations 4 and 7, and compliance by relevant academic authorities with the obligations under regulations 4, 5, 6 and 7.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.

(1) 2022 c. 21.

(2) 2022 c. 21.

(3) A digital version of the list of specified courses is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-initial-teacher-education/list-of-specified-further-education-initial-teacher-education-training-courses. A printed copy can be obtained by writing to the Department for Education at 20 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT.

(4) A digital copy of the guidance on the delivery of ITT(FE) is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-initial-teacher-education/delivery-guidance-for-courses-of-further-education-initial-teacher-education. A printed copy can be obtained by writing to the Department for Education at 20 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT.

(5) A digital copy of the guidance on curriculum content is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-initial-teacher-education/curriculum-content-guidance-for-courses-of-further-education-initial-teacher-education. A printed copy can be obtained by writing to the Department for Education at 20 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT.

(6) A digital copy of the guidance on providing information under regulation 7 is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-initial-teacher-education/provision-of-information-requirements-for-providers-of-specified-further-education-initial-teacher-education-courses. A printed copy can be obtained by writing to the Department for Education at 20 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT.

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