Future High Potential Initial Teacher Training (HPITT) Programme

Description

The Department for Education (DfE) plans to launch a procurement in early autumn 2025 for the recruitment and training of teachers to support schools in disadvantaged communities.  For the purpose of this document this will be referred to as ‘the programme’, with the new name / identity to be confirmed at a later date. 
This procurement will be conducted under the Light Touch Regime using a Competitive Flexible Procedure, in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. This Notice follows prior market engagement activity, which has informed the development of the procurement strategy, programme scope, and delivery model. 
The DfE seeks a supplier(s) capable of delivering a creative and impactful solution tailored to the needs of schools serving disadvantaged communities. We intend to award a single national contract to a supplier(s) who has sole accountability to deliver the full scope of requirements, incorporating school engagement, programme attraction, delivery and participant support.
The indicative total contract value for the future programme is £89 million, with an initial term valued at £54 million covering three cohorts (starting in September 2027, September 2028 and September 2029). The successful supplier may choose to raise additional income through school fees if required*.  Extension options may be exercised to support up to five cohorts in total (starting each September from 2027 through to 2031). 
The current High Potential Initial Teacher Training contract concludes when the 2026 ITT cohort completes their training. This new contract will ensure continuation of the Department's support to recruit high performing graduates and career changers to teach in schools serving disadvantaged communities.  The information in this Notice is intended to provide a high-level overview of our intentions for the programme to support suppliers’ resourcing and initial planning of solutions. Further information and final confirmation of details will be provided at procurement launch in early autumn. 
Overview 
The Government wants to enable every pupil to achieve and thrive at school, through excellent teaching and high standards. High quality teaching is the factor in schools and colleges that makes the biggest difference to a young person’s educational outcomes.  
The programme will support this ambition by helping schools serving low-income communities, with high numbers of disadvantaged and / or low attaining pupils, (known as Eligible Schools) to recruit the teachers they need to improve outcomes for pupils. This is intended to be a distinct and prestigious route into teaching, competing with other high profile and well-respected graduate recruitment programmes to attract high quality candidates into teaching. 
The supplier will be required to design, develop and deliver a high-quality, innovative, national, two-year, employment-based, initial teacher training and leadership development programme. The programme will place a significant emphasis on a supplier understanding, and successfully meeting, the teacher recruitment needs of Eligible Schools in their local context and communities. The programme will also focus on retention of participants. 
Core Aims and Requirements 
The core aims of the programme, in priority order, will be:
i.	Support schools serving low-income communities with high numbers of disadvantaged and / or low attaining pupils (i.e. Eligible Schools) in England to recruit the teachers they need to help improve outcomes for pupils
ii.	Target high-quality candidates with a 2:1 degree or above, who would be otherwise unlikely to join the profession or work in an Eligible School and who have the capability to be highly skilled teachers and emerging leaders, and who are passionate about making a meaningful impact, in these schools.
iii.	Contribute to recruitment in specified subjects but with flexibility to meet the specific recruitment needs of schools.
To support broader aims of teacher retention, the programme will also prepare, support and inspire participants for the range of future career progression opportunities in teaching and school leadership and to make a long-term and positive difference to the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils.
The requirements of the future programme will be: 
•	Develop and maintain strong partnerships with schools and other partners in areas with the greatest teacher recruitment challenges to understand and meet the needs of schools in terms of teacher recruitment and provide sufficient high-quality employment-based placement opportunities.
•	Attract high quality graduates and career changers who have the capability to be highly skilled teachers and emerging leaders with a clear focus on those who might not otherwise join the profession or work in a school serving disadvantaged areas.
•	Recruit and select specified numbers of participants to meet the needs of schools and make a positive impact to teacher supply, teacher quality and pupil attainment.
•	Develop and deliver a high-quality employment-based Initial Teacher Training programme (in conjunction with accredited ITT providers where appropriate) which complies with the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework and enables participants to meet the Teachers’ Standards and achieve Qualified Teacher Status. 
•	Develop and deliver a leadership development programme that is integrated into the programme, to support participants to become excellent practitioners and emerging leaders who will have a positive impact on teaching quality in schools in disadvantaged communities.
•	Maximise participant completion of the programme and support their transition into teaching roles beyond the programme, in schools serving disadvantaged communities. 
•	Provide opportunities for programme participants to form and maintain networks to support career progression and retention in schools serving disadvantaged communities.
Additional information 
The programme will recruit and train three initial cohorts of participants for the 2027/28, 2028/29 and 2029/30 academic years. We expect recruitment for each cohort to take place during the preceding academic year.  The first cohort of participants is expected to commence their training in September 2027 with recruitment beginning by October 2026.
The recruitment target for each cohort, which will be a key performance indicator (KPI), will be 1,000 participants. We intend to set additional KPIs for the number of participants achieving Qualified Teacher Status, completing the Programme and completing the Programme in specific priority subjects, as well as a KPI on Social Value. Further information about the KPIs, how they will be linked to the payment model, as well as the subsidiary performance indicators will be available at procurement launch.  
The successful supplier will have an option to use their own identity / brand alongside the new identity for the future programme (which the Department will develop). Further details will be available at procurement launch. 
*   Any such fees will be subject to a cap, which will vary by subject and will be confirmed in the final tender documentation.