To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department conducted an equality impact assessment in advance of its most recent round of Initial Teacher Training accreditation.

In the 2019 Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy, the Department committed to reviewing the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) market, with the aim to make it work more effectively.

The subsequent ITT accreditation process was recommended by an expert advisory group and implemented following public consultation. It was designed to assess capacity to deliver high quality, reformed ITT from September 2024, in line with the new Quality Requirements identified in the advisory group’s ITT market review, as opposed to assessing the quality of current or past provision.

The Department considered all the issues raised during the consultation and engagement with the sector. In addition, the Department specifically invited views through the consultation on potential consequences of implementing the proposed Quality Requirements in relation to equalities issues. The Department also undertook an assessment of the potential equalities impacts of the reforms, and published ‘The ITT market review report - equalities impact assessment’. This report is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1037339/Government_response_to_the_initial_teacher_training__ITT__market_review_report_-_equalities_impact_assessment.pdf.

Reforms to the ITT market will help all trainees across the country receive quality ITT provision and further support at every stage of their teaching career.