The Department for Education has appointed a cross-section of teacher training leaders to a new teacher task force, after the final stage of its reaccreditation of providers means there will be a quarter fewer organisations offering initial teacher training (ITT) courses from 2024.

The DfE said it set up the task force, named the ITT steering group, to allow it to work with the ITT sector to “provide a vehicle for discussion” about its reforms, and “engage with the sector to ensure clear delivery of next steps”. 

Last month, Tes revealed the task force was being set up in a bid to boost ITT providers’ interest in expansion and creating partnerships to increase supply in target areas.

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The news comes after Tes revealed that around 25 per cent of the teacher training providers could be culled from the market following the completion of the second round of the DfE’s reaccreditation of providers process.

The steering group is an informal, collaborative forum to share updates, feedback and best practice.

Meetings are held on a regular basis and involve a range of attendees, including internal representation across the DfE and cross-sector external members, including James Noble-Rogers, executive director of Universities Council For The Education Of Teachers (UCET), and Emma Hollis, director of the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT).

The group is chaired by Nabil Ali, the deputy director of the ITT Market Reform Programme, and also features Ian Bauckham, the chair of the ITT market review group that sparked the shake-up.

A total of 179 providers are now accredited after all providers were reviewed by the DfE as part of the market review of the sector.

Tes understands that 163 of those are existing providers, meaning that around 15 new providers have gained approval to start offering courses for the first time.

This morning, Mr Noble-Rogers warned that providers who have failed to pass the process may be forced to leave the market entirely or could consider a judicial review of the “unnecessary and flawed” process.

Meanwhile, Ms Hollis said she is committed to pushing ”for the best possible outcome for NASBTT members, and the future of the ITT sector, including supporting with scenario and next steps planning”.

Ms Hollis added she was “disappointed” that a “significant number of high-quality providers have not been accredited, including those judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted”.

She warned that some regions and subjects will be “disproportionately impacted” as a result of the review, and could experience a ”fallow year while the strategic response is being developed”.

“It is now incumbent upon government to sensibly and rationally consider its strategic response to the picture we are facing,” she said.