A government-funded flagship teacher training programme is to be renamed after 24 years amid a “shift in strategic direction”. The scheme will still be run by the charity named Teach First, but will be delivered under the new title “Teach Lead Change”. DfE has also confirmed it will be dropping the requirement for 60 per cent of trainees to come from Russell Group universities, after “clear, universal feedback” had showed the requirement “was unnecessary and acted as a blocker”. Ministers have removed it, but retained the requirement that 90 per cent of candidates must have a 2:1 degree of higher, “meaning quality will still be maintained”, said the DfE. ‘Exciting new chapter’ Schools minister Georgia Gould described it as an “exciting new chapter” for the government’s high potential initial teacher training (HPITT) scheme, and a return “to its original purpose of putting the very best trainee teachers into schools in the poorest communities”. Teach First historically focused on high-achieving graduates who wanted to “teach first”, before going into other careers. But amid a chronic retention crisis across the sector, the DfE has also signalled a shift towards trainees who might want to stay in teaching. It said Teach First will be required to develop a robust selection process, to identify “exceptional candidates…who are committed to teaching in disadvantaged areas for the longer-term”. It said this is designed to widen access to more diverse candidates, and potentially encourage more to train and continue teaching locally. Gould said the Teach Lead Change programme is “central” to the government’s mission to recruit and retain an additional 6,500 teachers across secondary and special schools and colleges. New programme identity Teach First has run the Department for Education’s HPITT scheme since its launch in 2003. The scheme itself has also been named Teach First for the last 23 years. But as its most recent contract came to an end, the DfE signalled plans to rebrand with a “supplier neutral” identity, as it sought a provider to deliver the next iteration of the programme. It was confirmed earlier this month that Teach First was set to be awarded the contract – worth £89 million – in a new partnership with the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT). Shift in focus A press release issued today said the new programme, beginning September 2027, “represents a shift from the 2025 and 2026 delivery years, both in scale and strategic direction”, reflecting the DfE’s “new vision for the programme”. “This will be marked by the introduction of a new programme identity – Teach Lead Change.” It said this signals a “renewed focus on disadvantage and…schools in areas where the need is greatest.”. The programme will focus on training high-quality new teachers “who would not have otherwise considered teaching”, and will prioritise regions of England with highest educational inequality. Teach First said the programme “will have a greater focus on placing teachers within priority subjects, such as in STEM”. It was also “allow trainees to explore new pathways in their second year, including in AI, SEND and inclusion, and in community leadership.” 1,000 trainees a year Teach First will be responsible for training three cohorts of trainees, up to 2031. The contract could be extended, to cover five cohorts until 2033. Contract award documents show it will be expected to recruit 1,000 trainees per cohort. This will form a key performance indicator (KPI) for the scheme. Others will measure how many trainees achieve qualified teacher status, programme completion, subject specific outcomes, and “delivery of social value commitments”. Teach First’s latest annual report, published in February, showed it welcomed 1,415 trainees onto its 2024 cohort, and 1,434 in 2025. NIoT will act as Teach First’s “higher education institution partner delivering the postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) and trainee services to support academic success”. NIoT will also carry out research to “refine delivery, monitor impact and strengthen the trainee experience”. Teach First CEO James Toop said the charity is “delighted” to continue its work, under the DfE’s “new vision” for the programme. He said the new contract will see Teach First “return to a focus on bringing in skilled new teachers who might not have considered the profession previously”. James Toop “This new contract will allow us to double down on our mission: bringing skilled individuals into the profession who might not have previously considered teaching, and nurturing leadership skills that ensure that no child’s future is determined by their socio-economic background.” A redacted version of the full contract is expected to be published in July.