DfE delivery funding guidance for schools gives school partners the information they will require for understanding the funding conditions and how to claim.
While there is no longer a minimum training time requirement for mentor training, requirements relating to the quality, content and coverage of mentor training have not changed, and mentors will still need to have the same knowledge, skills and abilities as previously detailed in the ITT Criteria and Supporting Advice.
At Edgehill we have listened to mentor feedback and continue to work with mentors to support development and to make this available in one space online in Abyasa. An outline of our mentor development for 2025-26 is available here with important links for mentors to book onto training.
The DFE funding is designed to support mentors working in schools that offer initial teacher training (ITT) placements to complete sufficient training with an accredited training provider to ensure they can effectively support a trainee teacher to obtain the knowledge and skills they need to successfully complete their ITT school placement; funding will help with the cost of mentors being away from the classroom while they train.
This could include:
- paying for someone to take over lessons while a mentor is training
- paying for someone to teach if a mentor takes time off in lieu to train
- overtime payment to the mentor, if they are training outside normal working hours (teacher workload should be carefully considered in such cases)
- paying for any costs that come from reducing a mentor’s other responsibilities so they have time to train
Eligibility for funding
DfE funding applies to schools that:
- Offer placements to student teachers, including special schools, pupil referral units, independent schools, early years settings and further education organisations;
- Have mentors working with ITT trainees who started or returned to their first year of training at any time between 1 September 2025 and 31 May 2026 (PGCE 25-26 and Undergraduates Year 1);
- Have mentors that intended to work with ITT trainees who would have started their training any time between 1 September 2025 and 31 May 2026, the trainee withdrew after the mentor training took place.
For a school to claim DfE funding, the mentor must:
Undertake up to 16 hours of mentor training for new mentors or 6 hours of refresher training for returning mentors
and
Mentor at least one trainee in the academic year.
A school cannot claim funding if a member of staff at their school completes our training but does not mentor a trainee.
How to apply
Placement schools will be able to submit a claim via the GOV.UK service. The service will open in Spring 2026 and schools will be able to submit their claims once their mentors have completed their training. Schools must complete their claims by the end of July to receive payment in late September/early October. If schools miss the payment window, they will be able to submit a claim in September, with payment being made in December 2026/January 2027.
Timeline for payments
The ITT reform delivery grants available within the 2025/26 academic year will be paid in arrears. The following table can be used as an example for planning purposes for schools and providers to support applications for the general mentor grant.
| Activity | Key dates |
| Conditions of grant updated | September 2025 |
| GOV.UK service opens allowing school users to join the service and to review the grant terms and conditions | Spring 2026 |
| Schools submit a claim for general mentor funding | From May 2026 |
| First application window closes, to enable September 2026 payments(1) | Mid-July 2026 |
| Payment is made to schools | From September 2026 |
| At least 10% of claims are audited with evidence required to be provided by schools and providers. | From October 2026 |
(1) A second and final application window will open in September 2026.
Please ensure that you retain any evidence relating to your claim. E.g. supply cover invoices, in readiness for any audit that may take place (see page 9 – Assurance).
If you have any questions about the general mentor training grant guidance, please contact [email protected]