The Further Education (Initial Teacher Training) Regulations 2026
These Regulations, made under the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, establish a framework for quality assurance over Initial Teacher Training for Further Education (ITT(FE)) courses in England.
The rules mandate that educational institutions offering specified ITT(FE) courses must register with the Secretary of State, adhere to published guidance on course delivery and curriculum content, and provide regular, detailed information regarding their courses, students, and graduates, culminating in an annual public report by the Secretary of State summarizing sector compliance.
Arguments For
Establishing a formal registration and oversight mechanism ensures accountability and quality control across all specified Initial Teacher Training for Further Education (ITT(FE)) courses.
Requiring adherence to Secretary of State guidance on course delivery and curriculum content standardizes the quality of teacher education provided to the further education sector.
Mandatory data collection regarding courses, students, and completions allows the Secretary of State to monitor the sector effectively, assess training needs, and publish necessary annual reports for transparency.
Arguments Against
Introducing new mandatory registration and reporting requirements creates additional administrative burdens and compliance costs for educational institutions and their governing bodies.
Centralized guidance on curriculum content and delivery may reduce the autonomy of local educational institutions to tailor training programs to specific regional or institutional needs.
The extensive information reporting requirements, even with exemptions for identifiable living individuals, may raise concerns about data privacy and the scale of data management required by academic authorities.
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.
This introduces the legal instrument, 'The Further Education (Initial Teacher Training) Regulations 2026', numbered 2026 No. 382, applying to Education in England.
The regulations were officially made on March 25th, 2026, and came into force on April 15th, 2026.
The Secretary of State issued these rules using powers granted under Section 17 of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022.
Approval from both Houses of Parliament was secured before enactment, as required by the Act.
Citation, commencement, extent and application
- -(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.
Regulation 1 sets the official title as the 'Further Education (Initial Teacher Training) Regulations 2026'.
It confirms the commencement date as April 15th, 2026.
The regulations apply geographically to both England and Wales, but their regulatory effect is specifically limited to matters concerning England.
Interpretation
- 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.
Regulation 2 defines key terms used throughout the document.
An 'academic year' runs annually from September 1st to August 31st.
A 'relevant academic authority' refers to the governing body, or its equivalent, of an institution offering the prescribed teacher training. 'Specified ITT(FE) courses' are defined later in Regulation 3, and a 'student' is anyone enrolled on one of these specified courses at an educational institution.
Specifying of courses of initial teacher training for further education
- 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 ).
Regulation 3 grants the Secretary of State the responsibility to officially designate which Initial Teacher Training for Further Education (ITT(FE)) courses are relevant under the 2022 Act; these become 'specified ITT(FE) courses'.
The Secretary of State must also create, maintain, and publish a list of these specified courses in a format they deem suitable.
Registration requirement and list of registered initial teacher training for further education providers
- -(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.
Regulation 4 enforces mandatory registration.
Governing bodies ('relevant academic authorities') must apply to the Secretary of State for every institution providing specified ITT(FE) courses they control, ensuring the compliance information is ready for the upcoming academic year.
Registration occurs if the application meets specified formats and includes details such as the authority's name, the institution's name, and the courses planned for the next year.
The Secretary of State must keep and may publish a list of all registered institutions.
Guidance on delivery of initial teacher training for further education
- 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 ).
Governing bodies of institutions running these teacher training courses must consider and follow any official guidance that the Secretary of State issues regarding how the initial teacher training for further education should be delivered over time.
Guidance on curriculum content
- 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 ).
Similar to delivery guidance, academic authorities must also take into account any guidance published by the Secretary of State concerning the actual content that must be covered in the specified ITT(FE) courses.
Provision of information
- -(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.
Regulation 7 establishes detailed reporting duties for academic authorities concerning their ITT(FE) provision.
This includes reporting current course titles, details of the awarding body, and comprehensive data on current students (including level, start date, duration, subject, and study mode) and recent completers (course, completion date, and subject).
Data must be submitted exactly as and when directed by the Secretary of State.
However, authorities are explicitly exempted from reporting personally identifiable data belonging to living individuals if possessing that data would allow identification.
Annual reports
- -(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.”
Regulation 8 requires the Secretary of State to produce and release a report covering further education teacher training within six months after each academic year concludes.
This report must summarize all the information gathered through the registration process (Regulation 4) and the periodic data provision (Regulation 7).
It must also report on how well the academic authorities have met all their duties under regulations 4, 5, 6, and 7.
The inaugural report will cover the academic year starting September 1st, 2026.
25th March 2026
Smith of Malvern Minister of State Department for Education
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.
The Explanatory Note, which is not legally part of the Regulations, states that the purpose is to enhance the quality of further education teacher training.
It summarizes the key requirements placed on 'relevant academic authorities': mandatory registration, adherence to delivery and curriculum guidance, and comprehensive information submission regarding courses and participants.
It also notes the creation of a public register and the requirement for the Secretary of State to publish annual compliance reports.
Furthermore, it confirms that a full impact assessment was deemed unnecessary as significant impact on the private, voluntary, or public sectors was not anticipated.
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