University finally regains teacher training accreditation

The University of Greenwich has finally regained accreditation to deliver teaching training in England, four years after it was controversially removed as part of a government process intended to improve quality.

Students taking courses from September will have their qualified teacher status (QTS) awarded by the south-east London institution again after the U-turn.

Greenwich was one of 13 universities that lost accreditation for initial teacher training in 2022 as part of the Department for Education’s “market review” exercise that replaced many institutions that had trained teachers for years with newer providers.

The former Conservative government was widely seen as suspicious of university-led teacher training and also moved to impose more control over what was taught on the courses, with a focus on the science of learning.

Institutions that lost out have long argued that the desk-based exercise was unfair, pointing to positive results in Ofsted inspections as evidence of quality provision. Universities repeatedly attempted to challenge the decision before it was eventually enacted for the 2024-25 academic year. 

Labour announced in February 2025 that it would hold a re-accreditation round and Greenwich was among those handed provisional accredited status last December.

The university announced on 29 May that it had completed the second stage of the process and has now successfully regained accreditation.

Brunel University of London and the universities of Cumbria, East Anglia, Sussex and the West of England – all of which lost out in the market review – were all also in line to regain their accreditation. 

Times Higher Education has asked all these universities whether they have now completed the process.

Greenwich, like many other affected universities, was able to continue teacher training provision via a partnership with the University of Derby – which retained accreditation in the market review – but argued that this came with a high cost that put its long-term future in the field at risk, despite its 120-year history. 

The university said it will offer a “full suite” of accredited teacher training programmes in September, from early years to further education.

“This accreditation is a major achievement and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our School of Education. It reflects the high quality of our courses and our commitment to preparing outstanding teachers for the future,” Steve Corbett, pro vice-chancellor at Greenwich, said.

tom.williams@timeshighereducation.com