The Department for Education has been warned that it must urgently tackle teacher training cold spots, as a Tes analysis reveals multiple regions in England are facing losing swathes of places on courses after a government shake-up cut initial teacher training (ITT) provider numbers by a quarter.

The analysis shows that some regions could lose of up to a third of their teacher trainees after the results of the second and final round of the DfE’s reaccreditation of providers, revealed by Tes last week, showed that around 25 per cent of existing providers could be lost from the market.

Teacher training sector leaders are now calling for a ”pragmatic and realistic approach” to ensuring that trainees can access ITT courses in all parts of the country, amid falling numbers entering the profession, which was already facing recruitment and retention pressures.

• ITT shake-up: Universities could launch legal action against the DfE
• Exclusive: DfE shake-up to shrink teacher training market by 25 per cent
• Round one: Almost two-thirds of ITT providers not accredited in first wave

Tes analysis, using DfE data collected in the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) census of 2021-2022, suggests that schools face losing up to 4k(17 per cent) of trainees as places on courses disappear in 2024 - when the providers that failed reaccreditation must close their doors.

Teacher training: the regions facing the biggest loss of places

The North East is facing the sharpest potential loss of graduate trainees, according to Tes analysis, as almost a third (32 per cent) of the trainee places available last year are under threat.

In this region, the number of trainees on courses was 1,224 for the last academic year, according to provisional figures published by the DfE. 

But the total number of trainees at providers that have not yet been accredited in the region is 394.

A similar picture has emerged in the East of England, where almost a quarter (24 per cent) of trainee places could be at risk.

The South West is facing a similar shortfall, where 24 per cent of trainee places last year were at  providers that have not passed the reaccreditation process.

Analysis by Tes in July revealed that the areas of most concern after round one were the West and East Midlands as well as the North East.

After the results of the second round, Tes has compared DfE provisional figures on trainee intake for the 2021-22 academic year by provider and region to create an estimate of how many places could be at risk.

While these total numbers will be higher because Covid brought a boost to trainee numbers in 2020 and 2021, Tes has looked at these figures as an overall percentage to maintain consistency.

Some local authorities at risk of losing all their trainee places 

More granular analysis shows that some local authority areas may see their trainee numbers entirely wiped out as a result of the shake-up.

In Wiltshire, where there was only one provider in the past academic year, according to DfE figures, all 72 places are now at risk after North Wiltshire SCITT was not accredited. 

And in Kingston upon Hull, all 333 trainee places across three providers have failed to achieve accreditation, meaning 100 per cent of trainee places last year may not be able to continue beyond September 2024.

However, some new providers have achieved approval to start offering courses from 2024, meaning that places in some areas will be saved following the removal of existing courses.

For example, places in Central Bedfordshire and Luton have been saved after the Bedfordshire Schools Training Partnership and the Shire Foundation partnered with the Chiltern Training Group and were accredited.

And in Essex, BEC Teacher Training, which made up almost one in 10 (9.3 per cent) of places last year, and North Essex Teacher Training (NETT) (8 per cent) have both paired up with Suffolk and Norfolk SCITT, securing these places beyond September 2024.

Essex Primary SCITT has also merged with CTSN SCITT.

The DfE is hoping that provider partnerships and expansions will solve more of the cold spots created by the market review, and has set up an expert taskforce in a bid to boost interest.

‘Disgraceful’ loss of local provision

However, some in the sector are concerned that while these providers may fill the gaps in theory, they may not solve problems such as trainees being put off by having to travel greater distances to attend courses, as well as a lack of local knowledge and connections.

David Spendlove, professor of education at the University of Manchester, told Tes that he thinks the situation is “disgraceful”.

From his experience, he says that “applicants typically choose their local provider” and “only a small number” would move for their ITT, adding that “local providers are critical”. 

He said that in the context of the cost-of-living crisis, having local options was now even more important.

While there is still the possibility that providers that have not received accreditation could team up with accredited partners, there is an indication that some, especially higher education institutions, might not be so willing to hand over their autonomy. 

James Noble-Rogers, executive director of the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers, wants the government to take a ”pragmatic and realistic approach” when looking at “the cold spots issue”.

“The prime objective should be to ensure that schools in those areas are able to recruit the teachers they need,” he said.

He added the DfE “cannot rely on new providers coming in or existing providers expanding to fill gaps”.

“One pragmatic solution would be to support unsuccessful providers to get over the Quality Requirements line and secure accreditation in that way. This would pose no risk to quality as measures exist, through stage 2 of the accreditation process and through subsequent Ofsted inspections, to ensure that such providers deliver what DfE expect them to, ” said Mr Noble-Rogers.

Robert Campbell, senior lecturer in education at the University of Cumbria, told Tes that as a result of the university failing to be awarded accreditation, places like Barrow, Kendall, Keswick, Carlisle, Penrith, Brampton and more are “suddenly without the offer” of a PGCE course for students who want to train as teachers in those areas.

“In many cases like Barrow and the South Lakes, I can’t see who is going to provide teacher training,” he said, adding that some schools in this area already “struggle to recruit”.

He said the primary course at the University of Cumbria is “even bigger” and “more developed” than the secondary one. 

“In a sense, the impact of that is even greater because we have lots of small schools...if you’re talking about a small school where there are four teachers and you’re not able to recruit one of those, that’s 25 per cent of your teacher allocation,” Mr Campbell said.

A Department for Education spokesperson said the changes the department is making to teacher training was ”creating a clear pathway for teachers over the course of their careers”.

The spokesperson said the ”reformed initial teacher training” will “increase the confidence of those entering the workforce, supporting longer term retention, and ultimately raising standards for every child”.

“We are now focussed on the steps we need to take so that the new high-quality teacher training offer is available across the country from September 2024.”