The government has scrapped an “excessive” requirement that mentors of trainee teachers undertake 20-hours of training with “immediate effect”, just two months after it was introduced.
The government will also launch a new re-accreditation round for initial teacher training providers in spring next year to “ensure ongoing coverage and efficient delivery”.
The 2024-25 initial teacher training criteria currently states that providers should provide a minimum of 20 hours of initial general mentor training and six hours of annual refresher training.
It also states that ITT providers should take into consideration relevant prior learning that a mentor has completed, which may reduce the total number of training hours they would need to complete.
‘We have removed the 20-hour mentor training’
But in an DfE update sent out today, seen by Schools Week, the department said: “Having listened to feedback from ITT providers and schools, we recognise that further flexibilities regarding the quantification of the initial mentor training times would be beneficial, particularly for mentors supporting trainees in second school placements.
“Therefore, we have removed the 20-hour general mentor training and the 6-hour refresher training minimum time requirements, with immediate effect.
“While there is no longer a minimum training time requirement, accredited ITT providers should ensure that all mentors receive sufficient high-quality training to ensure they can effectively support a trainee teacher to obtain the knowledge and skills they need to successfully complete their ITT school placement.”
It added that: “This change is effective immediately and we will update the ITT criteria and other relevant guidance shortly to reflect these changes. Schools will still be able to claim up to 20 hours of funding per mentor for this academic year.”
Policy was causing a recruitment ‘nightmare’
It comes after Schools Week reported that the ASCL school leaders’ union has urged ministers to review the policy and work with schools on a “more deliverable expectation”, after schools warned they were turning away trainees and struggling to cover mentors’ time.
Sara Tanton, ASCL’s deputy policy director, previously said the requirement was “a concern for school leaders”. It is “unrealistic to expect schools to be able to commit existing staff – who are already thinly stretched – to such a large time commitment”.
The requirement also posed “a significant problem” to the new government in achieving its target of 6,500 new teachers as schools were unlikely to be able to offer those placements, she added.
In September, leaders told Schools Week the “excessive” teacher training mentor requirements were causing a recruitment “nightmare” for schools.
In its update today, the DfE added that: “While there is no longer a minimum training time requirement, accredited ITT providers should ensure that all mentors receive sufficient high-quality training to ensure they can effectively support a trainee teacher to obtain the knowledge and skills they need to successfully complete their ITT school placement.”
Another reaccreditation round also on the cards
Government had previously said it would run another reaccreditation round.
Providers have been told that will open in the spring term of 2025, with those approved able to deliver training from September 2026 or 2027.
But only providers that were previously accredited, are a lead partner currently or have now received two consecutive ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ ratings will be eligible to apply.
