The UK Department of Education has requested that regulator Ofsted extend the current pause in inspections of service providers offering NPQ (National Professional Qualifications) and ECTP (Early Career Teacher Programme) programmes. The initiative comes from the Schools Standards Minister, who deemed it necessary to give providers additional time before inspections resume. NPQ and ECTP programmes play an important role in the teacher professional development system in England: the former is aimed at enhancing the qualifications of teachers and school leaders, while the latter supports early-career teachers in their first years of work. Ofsted inspections typically assess the quality of educational services provided and whether providers meet established standards. The decision to extend the pause is not currently accompanied by details regarding new dates for resuming inspections or the reasons for this decision. Representatives of Ofsted confirmed receipt of the request from the Department and their readiness to follow the guidance of the relevant ministry. This measure may be related to the need to reduce administrative burden on educational organisations during this period or to a review of the methodology for assessing the quality of teacher training. Members of the education community are awaiting further clarification on how long the pause will last and what criteria will be applied when inspection activities resume.