Academic year 2023/24

Initial Teacher Training Census

This is the latest data

• Published: 7 December 2023
• Next update: December 2024
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National and provider-level information about the numbers and characteristics of new entrants to Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in England in the training year 2023/24; and 2023/24 PGITT targets. The statistical release also includes information on numbers and characteristics of new entrants to early years ITT, and application information for ITT postgraduate courses.

Read statistical summaries, view charts and tables, and download data files. 

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Headline facts and figures - 2023/24

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• ITT Census 2023/24 Provider Tables (xlsx, 1 Mb)

  Table 12: This provider level table contains the number of both postgraduate and undergraduate new entrants to ITT at provider level by trainee characteristics. The data in this table covers academic years 2019/20 to 2023/24 (2023/24 data is provisional, all previous years are revised). Table 13: This provider level table contains the number of both postgraduate and undergraduate new entrants to ITT at provider level by ITT route. The data in this table covers academic years 2019/20 to 2023/24 (2023/24 data is provisional, all previous years are revised). Table 14: This provider level table contains the number of both postgraduate and undergraduate new entrants to ITT at provider level by ITT subject. The data in this table covers academic years 2019/20 to 2023/24 (2023/24 data is provisional, all previous years are revised).

About these statistics

This statistical release provides provisional figures on the number of new entrants who have started an initial teacher training (ITT) programme in England in 2023/24 by school subject, training route, training region and a range of trainee demographic factors. This statistical release includes revised data for 2022/23. 

These statistics cover those training to teach via both postgraduate and undergraduate routes, as well as a separate section on those undertaking Early Years Initial Teacher Training (EYITT). 

The following tables are included: 

• national tables for the training years 2019/20 to 2023/24 by route, phase, subject, region and trainee characteristics (main postgraduate and undergraduate routes) 
• provider-level tables for the training years 2019/20 to 2023/24 by route, phase and subject (main postgraduate and undergraduate routes) 
• a national table for the training years 2019/20 to 2023/24 by route and trainee characteristics (EYITT route). 

The number of new entrants who have started postgraduate ITT is compared to the Department’s annual postgraduate ITT trainee targets. PGITT targets are selected using analysis from the Teacher Workforce Model (TWM). [5] 

The ITT Census publication was produced using data extracted from the Register Trainee Teachers service, including data collected in the HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency) ITT collection. Please see methodology for further detail.  

This year the publication includes end of application cycle data on the number of candidates making applications to ITT courses, and the number of acceptances to ITT courses, for courses that start in the years 2022/23 and 2023/24. These statistics are classified as official statistics in development, which is a temporary label for new statistics that are undergoing development and testing. More information can be found under Background to end of application cycle statistics. 

 

 Footnotes

[5] Postgraduate initial teacher training targets, Academic Year 2023/24 – Explore education statistics – GOV.UK (explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk) 

Background on mainstream initial teacher training

To become a qualified teacher in England, trainees typically complete a programme of Initial Teacher Training (ITT). This provides them with training, mentoring and teaching practice in schools, and leads to the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) for successful trainees. 

There are several pathways into teaching which include an undergraduate route, over a three or four-year course, and postgraduate routes which normally run for one year full-time. Postgraduate fee-funded courses can be undertaken through a higher education institution (HEI), or via a group of schools delivering a school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) programme or a School Direct fee-funded programme. Postgraduate salaried routes include the School Direct salaried programme, the High Potential ITT programme (HPITT) and, since 2018/19, the Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA). Early Years ITT, a non-mainstream route, is covered in separate sections below. 

At HEIs, the university or college delivers the pedagogy of teaching (theory and practice of teaching) supplemented by placements in schools. Successful trainees are awarded QTS and either a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE), postgraduate diploma in education (PGDE) or professional graduate certificate in education. On school-led routes, trainees are placed in a school from the beginning of their training. Most school-led routes also include a PGCE as many school-led providers will partner with an HEI. 

New entrants to postgraduate initial teacher training by subject

Summary

In 2023/24 we have seen 21,946 new entrants to postgraduate ITT, this is 62% of the postgraduate ITT target of 35,540 new entrants, down from 70% of target in 2022/23.  

Secondary

• In 2023/24, 50% of the overall secondary PGITT target was achieved (13,102 new entrants), down from 57% in 2022/23. This fall is due to an increase in target from 32,600 in 2022/23 to 35,540 in 2023/24; the number of new entrants increased by 9% from 12,033.  
• ITT providers recruited 4,504 postgraduate trainees in secondary STEM [6] subjects (representing 49% of the 2023/24 PGITT STEM target).  
• For individual STEM subjects, performance against the targets varied: for Biology 93% of the target of 1,050 trainees was achieved (974 new entrants); for Chemistry 65% of the target of 1,195 trainees was achieved (774 new entrants); for Mathematics 63% of the target of 2,960 trainees was achieved (1,852 new entrants); for Computing 36% of the target of 1,170 trainees was achieved (420 new entrants) and for Physics 17% of the target of 2,820 trainees was achieved (484 new entrants).  
• ITT providers recruited 9,572 postgraduate trainees in secondary EBacc subjects (representing 55% of the 2023/24 PGITT EBacc target) and 3,530 postgraduate trainees in secondary non-EBacc subjects. 
• PGITT targets were exceeded for Classics [7](196%), Physical Education (181%) and History (119%). 
• Increases in reported performance against PGITT targets between the 2022/23 and 2023/24 training years have been seen for Physical Education (181% of target recruited in 2023/24 compared to 142% of target recruited in 2022/23), Biology (93% in 2023/24 compared to 83% in 2022/23), Computing (36% of target recruited in 2023/24 compared to 29% in 2022/23), Design and Technology (27% in 2023/24 compared to 24% in 2022/23), and Physics (17% in 2023/24 compared to 16% in 2022/23). Apart from Physical Education, these changes are due to increases in the number of new entrants rather than decreases in targets. 
• The largest decreases in reported performance against PGITT targets between the 2022/23 and 2023/24 training years have been seen for Art and Design (44% of target recruited in 2023/24 compared to 88% in 2022/23), Music (27% in 2023/24 compared to 62% in 2022/23), Drama (79% in 2023/24 compared to 111% in 2022/23), Religious Education (44% in 2023/24 compared to 75% in 2022/23), and Mathematics (63% in 2023/24 compared to 88% in 2022/23). These changes reflect both increases in targets as well as, with the exception of Mathematics, reductions in the number of new entrants. The number of Mathematics trainees in 2023/24 was 1,852, a slight increase from 1,800 in 2022/23. 
• ITT providers recruited 326 postgraduate trainees in ‘Other’ subjects in 2023/24 [8], including 23 Citizenship trainees [9]. This compares to 397 postgraduate trainees in ‘Other’ subjects in 2022/23, including 40 Citizenship trainees.

Primary

• For primary, recruitment performance against the PGITT target increased from 91% in 2022/23 (10,640 new entrants) to 96% in 2023/24 (8,844 new entrants). 

 

Footnotes

[6] STEM here includes biology, chemistry, computing, mathematics and physics. 

[7] Note: the sample size for Classics is small and therefore findings should be treated with caution 

[8] ‘Other’ includes Child Development, Citizenship, Law, Media Studies, Other Social Studies, Other Technology, Politics, Psychology, Sociology, and Social Sciences among others. 

[9] Citizenship trainees are defined as those studying a course with subject Citizenship or UK Government Studies. HEIs recorded course subject as UK Government Studies for citizenship trainees from 2021/22 onwards. 

New entrants to ITT by routes into teaching

Summary

• In 2023/24, there were a total of 12,363 postgraduate new entrants on school-led routes [10], making up 56% of the postgraduate total, the same as last year. The number of school-led entrants saw a 3% decrease compared to 2022/23. 
• The number training via a Higher Education Institution (HEI) decreased to 9,583, making up the remaining 44%. The number of HEI new entrants saw a 3% decrease compared to 2022/23. 
• The School Centred ITT and HPITT routes both saw 3% decreases in new entrants compared to 2022/23, in line with the HEI route and school-led routes as a whole, while the School Direct (fee-funded) route saw an 8% decrease compared to 2022/23. However, both the School Direct (salaried) and Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship routes saw increases in the number of new entrants compared to 2022/23, of 5% and 23% respectively. 
• There were 5,009 new entrants to undergraduate ITT, a decrease of 13% from 5,790 in 2022/23. 

 

Footnotes

[10] School-led routes are HPITT, SCITTs, School Direct (salaried), School Direct (fee-funded) and PGTA. 

New entrants to postgraduate ITT by characteristics

Summary

• In 2023/24, 30% of new entrants with known sex [11] are male and 70% are female. This is a 2 percentage point increase in the proportion of male trainees since 2022/23. For primary, 16% of postgraduate trainees are male, unchanged since 2021/22 but following a longer-term gradual downward trend from 22% in 2015/16. For secondary, 39% of postgraduate trainees are male. The proportion of male secondary postgraduate trainees has been broadly stable, at between 40% and 38% since 2015/16. 
• The proportion of trainees aged under 25 is 53%, the same as in 2022/23. 
• Of postgraduate trainees who declared their ethnic group, there were 75% White, 13% Asian, 5% Black, 4% mixed ethnicity and 2% Other [12] new entrants. In 2023/24 the proportion of White trainees decreased by 3 percentage points and Asian trainees increased by 1 percentage point [13]. This compares with approximately 82%, 9%, 4%, 3%, and 2%, of the population respectively belonging to these ethnic groups in England and Wales (Census 2021) [14] . In general, since 2019/20 there has been a gradual increase in the proportion of Asian and Black postgraduate trainees, and a corresponding gradual decrease in the proportion of White postgraduate trainees. 
• In 2023/24, 1% of all postgraduate trainees (270 trainees) were on a part-time ITT route. Of those 270 trainees, the highest proportions are undertaking HEI (34%) and SCITT routes (30%).  

 

 Footnotes

[11] For 2023/24 only, three providers submitted data with very high numbers of trainees with other sex. These have been recoded as unknown sex while we investigate this with providers. This means there are a smaller proportion of new entrants with known sex in the 2023/24 data (94%) compared to the 2022/23 data (99%) and some caution should be taken when comparing data over time. For more information, see methodology document. 

[12] Other ethnicity includes Arab and Other ethnic background. 

[13] When considering this change it should be noted that a smaller proportion of new entrants reported their ethnicity in the 2023/24 data (92%) compared to the 2022/23 data (96%). 

[14] https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/uk-population-by-ethnicity/national-and-regional-populations/population-of-england-and-wales/latest/

 

 Characteristics of postgraduate entrants to ITT for 2023/24

		Total postgraduate new entrants to ITT
Age group	Under 25	11,604
	25 and over	10,342
Sex	Male	6,061
	Female	14,398
	Other	63
Study Mode	Full-Time	21,676
	Part-Time	270

Footnotes

1. Data was extracted on 21 November 2023.

2. Figures for 2023/24 are provisional and are subject to change. Figures for 2022/23 and all previous years have been revised.

3. Troops to Teachers are excluded from all figures prior to 2021/22.

4. Sex other: Sex was previously reported as gender. This has been updated as it was previously mislabelled. From 2021/22, trainees who chose not to provide data on sex have been included in an 'unknown' category. Prior to this they were included in 'other'.

5. Warning: percentages have been rounded and therefore may not sum to 100%.

6. The 2022/23 revised and 2023/24 provisional data does not contain forecast trainees, this is due to a change in data collection methodology. 

7. Full time: Includes a small number of trainees on abridged courses. Abridged courses are intensive full-time courses allowing trainees to achieve qualified teacher status in a shorter timeframe, typically two terms.

8. Age groups: are based on the ages of new entrants on the day of the census, 11 October 2023. Ages are rounded down to the nearest year, for example, a trainee aged 29.5 is placed in the 25-29 age group. 

9. Teach First do not offer a part time training option.

10. Proportions exclude trainees where information was not supplied, or where characteristics/information were reported as ‘unknown’.

11. For 2023/24 only, three providers submitted data with very high numbers of trainees with other sex. These have been recoded as unknown sex while we investigate this with providers.

New entrants to postgraduate ITT by nationality

Summary

• In 2023/24, there were 20,619 postgraduate new entrants to ITT whose nationality was known (94% of all postgraduate new entrants) [15]. Of these, 91% were UK nationals, 6% were European Economic Area (EEA) nationals [16], and the remaining 3% were nationals of other countries. These proportions are broadly in line with data in 2022/23, with a slight decrease in the proportion of UK nationals, down from 92% in 2022/23, and a slight increase in the proportion of EEA nationals and other nationals, up from 5% and 2% respectively in 2022/23. Prior to this year, since 2016/17, the proportion of UK nationals had been 92% or 93%, and the proportion of EEA nationals 4% or 5%. 
• The proportion of postgraduate trainees who are UK nationals is lower for EBacc subjects than non-EBacc subjects and this is mostly driven by modern foreign languages where in 2023/24 63% of trainees are UK nationals, 28% are EEA nationals, and 9% are nationals from other countries. This compares to 63%, 31%, and 6% respectively in 2022/23. Additionally, in 2023/24, of physics trainees, 72% are UK nationals, 4% are EEA nationals, and 23% are nationals from other countries. This compares to 89%, 6%, and 6% respectively in 2022/23, and is the biggest change of any subject. 
• As well as trainee teachers from overseas, qualified teachers from specific overseas countries can be awarded qualified teacher status (QTS) with no further ITT in England. Figures for these teachers are published in the Teacher Regulation Agency annual report and accounts [17] and also the transparency data for QTS applicants and awards to overseas teachers. [18] 

 

Footnotes

[15] In 2022/23 and 2021/22, 93% and 98% of postgraduate ITT entrants respectively had known nationality. 

[16] EEA National: here relates to individuals with a European Union, European Economic Area or included in the single market – this includes Swiss nationality. The UK is not included in these figures. 

[17] Figures for teachers who applied for QTS prior to 1 February 2023 and were awarded QTS between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023 can be viewed here: Teaching Regulation Agency annual report and accounts 2022 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) (Annex A). 

[18] Figures for teachers who applied and were awarded QTS between 1 February 2023 and 31 July 2023 can be viewed here: QTS applicants and awards to overseas teachers - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

New entrants to postgraduate ITT by degree class on entry

Summary

• The percentage of new entrants to postgraduate programmes with a first class or 2:1 in their first degree has decreased from 76% in 2022/23 to 74% in 2023/24. This decrease in the latest year has been driven by a decrease in both the percentage of new entrants with a first (24% in 2022/23 to 22% in 2023/24) and in the percentage of new entrants with a 2:1 (52% in 2022/23, 51% in 2023/24). 
• The proportion of entrants holding a 2:1 or higher varies by route. In particular, 88% of HPITT trainees had a 2:1 or higher, compared to a range of 68% for the Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship and School Direct (salaried) to 74% for HEIs. 

New entrants to postgraduate ITT by region

Summary

• In 2023/24, the number of postgraduate new entrants to ITT dropped across all regions apart from Yorkshire and the Humber, which saw a 13% increase, and the South West and West Midlands, where numbers were broadly the same as in 2022/23. 
• The smallest decrease was observed in the East Midlands (a 2% decrease on new entrant trainees compared to 2022/23), followed by the South East (a 4% decrease). 
• The North East had the greatest decrease in new entrants (10% fewer new entrants than 2022/23).   

Background on early years initial teacher training (EYITT)

Early years initial teacher training (EYITT) provides specialist training covering the education and care of children from birth to the age of five and is distinct from primary education. Training is delivered by accredited ITT providers [19]. 

Successful EYITT trainees are awarded Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS). They are not eligible for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and are therefore not qualified to lead classes in a maintained [20] nursery or school, unless they also hold QTS [21]. Early years teachers can lead teaching in all other early year’s settings in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) sector.  

There are several routes leading to the award of EYTS. Trainees can undertake an undergraduate course, which allows them to earn a degree in an early childhood related subject and EYTS, normally over a three-year period full-time. Postgraduate EYITT courses can be undertaken through the graduate entry route (full time study, which includes the early years School Direct route) or the graduate employment-based route (a one-year part-time route for graduates working in an early years setting [22]). Postgraduate EYITT normally runs for one year full-time. 

 

Footnotes

[19] Providers graded by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) as ‘requires improvement’, or a lower quality, cannot provide EYITT. 

[20] ‘Maintained’ refers to schools or nurseries where funding and oversight is provided through the local authority. 

[21] Trainees with EYTS can work as level 3 support workers in a maintained nursery or school. They can work as unqualified teachers in maintained schools or academies, but this status is dependent on the school. 

[22] Trainees can also undertake an assessment only route to earn EYTS. This is designed for graduates with experience of working with children from birth to five, who are able to demonstrate the Teacher’s Standards (Early Years) without further training; for example, overseas trained early years teachers. The EYITT assessment only route is not included in this statistical release. 

New entrants to early years initial teacher training (EYITT)

Summary

• There were 581 new entrants to EYITT in 2023/24. This is a 18% increase in new entrants compared to 2022/2023 when the figure was 492 [23]. 
• In 2023/24, 100% of new entrants to EYITT took the postgraduate route, which is a 1 percentage point increase on 2022/23 revised data (99%). 
• 58% of 2023/24 new entrants to postgraduate EYITT (including those whose degree class is unknown [24]), held a first class or 2:1 degree, compared to 55% in 2022/23. 

 

Footnotes

[23] Breakdown of EYITT new entrant data by ethnic group and disability status for 2023/24 will be published after this initial publication. This is due to issues with the quality of the data. We will be updating the publication to include EYITT ethnic group and disability status data once the issue is rectified. 

[24] 61 trainees had degree class recorded as ’Unknown’ in 2023/24, compared with 40 trainees in 2022/23. 

2023/24 year specific methodology

Data Collection  

The initial teacher training (ITT) census is collected annually and counts trainees registered on a course on the second Wednesday in October. For 2023/24 this was Wednesday 11 October 2023. 

This statistical release presents detailed provisional data for 2023/24 and revised data for 2022/23. 

For 2023/24 we received data from 210 providers in England comprising 142 School Centred ITTs and 68 HEIs. The final data was extracted on 21st November 2023.  

Since 2021/22, the ITT Census publication has been produced using data extracted from the Register Trainee Teachers service. This is a move from the previous data source, DTTP (Database of Teacher Training Providers) but still includes data collected in the HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency) ITT collection. To improve data quality, small changes have been made to some variables and the removal of variables which were no longer essential. We have endeavoured to ensure the impact of the changes is as minimal as possible, but as with any change in data source, comparisons between data from 2021/22 onwards and previous years should be treated with some caution. 

Quality assurance  

Data for the ITT census were completed, reviewed and signed-off by providers. The data collection and publication team within DfE carried out additional quality checks and data validations throughout the data entry process. After the data was extracted, the production team undertook a further quality assurance process to recode and correct some of the data. 

This quality assurance process identified a small number of issues. These, along with the solutions that have been implemented, are outlined below: 

2022/23 revised data: 

A large number of duplicate trainees were identified and removed during the quality assurance process. Data were then validated and signed-off by the production team. 

2023/24 revised data: 

Due to a technical issue with the import of ethnicity and disability information into Register, disability and ethnicity data for EYITT trainees for 2023/24 includes a significantly larger proportion of unknowns than past years. This data will be published once the issue has been fixed. EYITT disability and ethnicity data is therefore currently unavailable for 2023/24 but available for all other years. 

For three providers, the breakdowns of trainees by sex showed a dramatically increased number of trainees recorded as other sex. As these numbers were without precedent, the decision was made to recode these trainees to unknown sex. Trainees of other sex from all other providers were unaffected. There will therefore be a greater number of trainees with unknown sex in this year’s data. We are investigating this issue further with the providers. 

Self-funded trainees 

We exclude from this release trainees that the provider has indicated are not eligible for UK financial support and, for historic data, where they do not have a DfE allocated place. This includes overseas trainees not entitled to UK financial support; trainees on the School Direct salaried route undertaking a non-DfE-funded subject and/or employed at an independent school; or in situations when a School Direct Salaried trainee is undertaking a subject that would not normally be funded by DfE, but the provider is funding the trainee themselves. 

In 2022/23, 968 self-funded trainees were excluded. Of these, 546 were UK nationals, 46 were EEA nationals, 301 were nationals of other countries, and 75 were of unknown nationality. Broken down by route, 710 were HEI-led postgraduate, 147 Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship, 73 School Direct (salaried), 21 undergraduate, and 17 School Direct (fee-funded).  

In 2023/24, 1299 self-funded trainees were excluded. Of these, 700 were UK nationals, 87 were EEA nationals, 453 were nationals of other countries, and 59 were of unknown nationality. Broken down by route, 813 were HEI-led postgraduate, 365 Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship, 74 School Direct (salaried), 31 undergraduate, and 16 School Direct (fee-funded). 

Teacher Workforce Model (TWM)  

For entrants starting in 2021/22 onwards, the department’s annual postgraduate ITT targets (PGITT) have been chosen using analysis from the Teacher Workforce Model (TWM). The TWM replaces the previously used Teacher Supply Model (TSM). The TWM considers both recruitment and retention alongside estimates of teacher demand.  For more information please see the latest publication here. 

Background to ITT end of application cycle statistics (official statistics in development)

This year the publication includes end of application cycle data on the number of candidates making applications to ITT courses, and the number of acceptances to ITT courses, for courses that start in 2022/23 and 2023/24. By candidate, we mean someone who has made an application to a postgraduate ITT course using the DfE Apply service for a course that starts in the given time period. By an accepted candidate, we mean a candidate that had an offer by an ITT provider and the candidate has accepted that offer. Candidates in the High Potential ITT route are excluded from these statistics, as they do not use the Apply service. Candidates applying to undergraduate, early years and further education ITT courses are also excluded.

The statistics are classified as official statistics in development, which is a temporary label for new statistics that are undergoing development and testing. The goal of official statistics in development is to develop statistics that can, in due course, be produced to the standards of the Code of Practice for Statistics. However, even though this data-series is still in development, we consider the statistics to be a reliable indicator of candidates and acceptances. The statistics are calculated from raw application data from the DfE Apply service. Further details on the methodology used can be found in the methodology section.

Prior to 2022/23, recruitment to postgraduate ITT courses was undertaken by UCAS and they published end of application cycle data up to 2021/22. Postgraduate recruitment fully transferred to DfE in Autumn 2021 for courses starting in 2022/23. Historical data published by UCAS is not directly comparable with data in this publication.

The department ran a user consultation in December 2022 which has been used to inform this first release. We will proactively inform users of this release and encourage feedback for further development. We also welcome further feedback using the contact details in the Contact us section. We intend to continue developing these statistics ahead of publication of 2024/25 data in December 2024. This includes responding to user feedback and exploring adding comparable data from historical years. We may publish historical data or additional breakdowns/revisions for 2022/23 and 2023/24 ahead of December 2024. We have not published breakdowns by disability status as we are still assessing the quality of the data. We aim to be able to classify these statistics as official statistics (as opposed to official statistics in development) by December 2025, when data for courses starting in 2025/26 will be published.

ITT candidates and acceptances (official statistics in development)

Changes in candidate and acceptance numbers between 2022/23 and 2023/24

The number of candidates applying to primary ITT courses increased by 4% from 18,561 for 2022/23 to 19,351 for 2023/24, while the number of accepted candidates [1] decreased by 16% to 9,487. 

For secondary subjects overall, the number of candidates applying for 2023/24 courses increased by 35% to 29,951 compared to the previous year, while the number of accepted candidates increased by 12% to 13,126 [2].

In particular:

• The number of Physics candidates has increased by 163% from 1,119 to 2,944 in 2023/24, while the number of accepted candidates has increased by 45% to 644.
• The number of Biology candidates has increased by 86% from 1,534 to 2,847 in 2023/24, while the number of accepted candidates has increased by 46% to 890.
• The number of Computing candidates has increased by 79% from 979 to 1,751 in 2023/24, while the number of accepted candidates has increased by 31% to 454.
• STEM subjects saw a 60% increase in candidates (13,286) and a 20% increase in accepted candidates (4,650).
• EBacc subjects saw a 50% increase in candidates (23,016) and a 22% increase in accepted candidates (9,477).
• The only subjects with fewer candidates applying, compared to the previous year, are Drama (a 10% decrease in candidates), History (8% decrease), Music (6% decrease), Classics (4% decrease) and Religious Education (0.1% decrease).

 

An increase in international candidates has impacted recruitment for some subjects more than others

This increase in candidates is due to an unprecedented increase in international candidates applying; 2,747 candidates for 2023/24 courses were EEA nationals (a 12% increase from the previous year) and 11,400 candidates were of other nationalities (a 146% increase), while the number of UK candidates remained broadly the same as the previous year.

Of accepted candidates for ITT 2023/24 courses who declared their nationality, there were 87% UK nationals, 6% EEA nationals and 7% nationals of other countries. Compared to ITT 2022/23 accepted candidates, there has been a decrease of 3 percentage points for UK nationals and an increase of 3 percentage points of other nationals outside the EEA, while the percentage of EEA candidates remained the same.

Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) remained a popular subject for EEA nationals, with 32% of MFL accepted candidates being EEA nationals (down 3 percentage points from the previous year). Some subjects were particularly popular for international candidates this year.  This may be driven in part by international bursaries and relocation payments for languages and Physics being available for 2023/24. Candidates from other nationalities outside of the EEA accounted for 42% of accepted candidates for Physics (an increase from 12% in the previous year) and 20% of accepted candidates for Business Studies (an increase from 11%).

 

Acceptance rates for 2023/24

The percentage of candidates who accepted (in-cycle acceptance rate) decreased from 70% to 58% for candidates applying for 2023/24 courses [3]. This decrease in the acceptance rate occurred across almost all subjects for all nationality groups, apart from a small increase in the acceptance rate for Physical Education for UK nationals and EEA nationals, for Computing and Other subjects for EEA nationals, and Drama for other nationals outside the EEA.

The overall decrease in the acceptance rates this year is mostly attributed to the larger proportion of international candidates who had a lower acceptance rate than the UK national group, as shown in the table below. In particular, the two subjects with the lowest overall acceptance rates for 2023/24 - Physics (27%) and Business Studies (24%) - had the highest proportions of candidates from other nationalities outside the EEA, as shown in the table above.

 

ITT application acceptances and acceptance rates by candidate characteristics

Proportions of accepted candidates by characteristic

• For 2023/24 ITT courses, 29% of accepted candidates with known sex are male and 71% are female.
• The proportion of accepted candidates aged under 25 is 49%.
• There were no notable changes in proportions of accepted candidates by characteristics between 2022/23 and 2023/24 for sex and age groups.
• Of accepted candidates who declared their ethnic group, there were 73% White, 14% Asian, 7% Black, 4% Mixed and 2% Other ethnicity. These are broadly similar proportions to 2022/23 and compares with approximately 82%, 9%, 4%, 3%, and 2% of the population, respectively, belonging to these ethnic groups in England and Wales (Census 2021) [4]. In 2023/24 White accepted candidates decreased by 3 percentage points while Asian accepted candidates increased by 1 percentage point and Black accepted candidates increased by 2 percentage points.

Acceptance rates by candidate characteristic

• The acceptance rate for female candidates on to 2023/24 courses was 63%, higher than the acceptance rate of 48% for male candidates.
• The acceptance rate for candidates aged under 25 was 76%. The acceptance rate was lower for all older age groups, ranging between 60% for those aged 25-29 and 38% for those aged 35-39.
• White candidates had a higher acceptance rate than all other ethnic groups (74%), while Black candidates had the lowest (22%). Asian and Mixed ethnic groups were accepted at rates of 50% and 65% respectively.

 

Footnotes

[1] Total accepted candidates excludes candidates from this recruitment year who withdrew or deferred their accepted application and includes deferred candidates from previous years. See the methodology page for more details.

[2] Candidates in the High Potential ITT route are excluded from these statistics as they do not use the Apply service.

[3] The in-cycle acceptance rate is based on the total number accepted within a given recruitment year, regardless of later withdrawals or deferrals. See the methodology page for more details.

[4] https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/uk-population-by-ethnicity/national-and-regional-populations/population-of-england-and-wales/latest

 

Help and support

Methodology

Find out how and why we collect, process and publish these statistics.

• Initial Teacher Training Census

Official statistics

These are Official Statistics and have been produced in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

This can be broadly interpreted to mean that these statistics are:

• managed impartially and objectively in the public interest
• meet identified user needs
• produced according to sound methods
• well explained and readily accessible

Find out more about the standards we follow to produce these statistics through our Standards for official statistics published by DfE guidance.

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).

OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.

Contact us

If you have a specific enquiry about Initial Teacher Training Census statistics and data:

ITT Routes Analysis and Research team

Email: ittstatistics.publications@education.gov.uk
Contact name: Sarah Amis

Press office

If you have a media enquiry:

Telephone: 020 7783 8300

Public enquiries

If you have a general enquiry about the Department for Education (DfE) or education:

Telephone: 037 0000 2288

Opening times:
Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays)