The Department allocated 9,600 School Direct (SD) places for training commencing in 2013/14. Early information based on published acceptance data1 indicated that 6,370 applicantshad accepted a training place. Allocations are not targets and shouldnot be seen as such—this year as in previous years, weover-allocated initial teacher training places above the numbers oftrainees requiredoverall. The actual number of new entrants on a training programme on the census date and the expected number to start a programme in 2013/14 will be published in a statistical first release on 26 November 2013.1http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/careers/traininganddevelopment/b00205704/school-direct