The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) has been granted degree-awarding powers in what it calls a “significant milestone” on the way to becoming a school-led university.

While the NIoT has always offered postgraduate qualifications, it had to be officially validated by its partner, the University of Birmingham.

The powers, granted by the Office for Students, mean that the government-created institution no longer has to have its PGCE externally validated from September.

NIoT said that this marks a “significant milestone in its journey towards becoming a specialist, school-led university for the teaching profession”.

Degree powers represent ‘significant advancement’

The institute was created in 2022 and is run by four multi-academy trusts: Harris Federation, Outwood Grange Academies Trust, Oasis Community Learning and Star Academies.

It offers initial teacher training, and is one of a select number of providers contracted to provide the Early Career Framework and national professional qualifications.

It faced controversy in its early days when Ambition Institute filed a legal claim against the Department for Education after losing out on the £121 million bid to run NIoT.

Melanie Renowden, CEO of the NIoT, said the institute’s new powers mean it can “more effectively combine the academic enquiry and practice-based learning that new teachers need when they are building fundamental knowledge and habits”. 

Sir Dan Moynihan, chair of the NIoT board and CEO of founding trust Harris Federation, said that the degree-awarding powers “represent a significant advancement in our work on teacher education, and recognition of our rigorous academic standards”.