General Teaching Council
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The General Teaching Council (GTC), launched in September 2000, is the independent professional body for teachers. It consists of 64 Council members, 44 of whom are teachers or lecturers. Teachers elect 25 members, nine are appointed by the main teacher unions, 13 by the Secretary of State for Education and 17 by representative bodies. The Council's establishment and initial running costs have initially been funded by the DfES but the GTC will be self-financing from teacher registration fees from April 2004.
The functions of the GTC include:
- maintaining a register of qualified teachers
- considering cases where it is alleged that a teacher is guilty of unacceptable professional conduct, serious professional incompetence or where a teacher has been convicted of a criminal offence
- advising the Secretary of State and others on professional issues, such as recruitment, initial training, induction, professional development and conduct
- issuing a code of professional conduct and practice
- awarding QTS (a function taken over from DfES in August 2003).
Registration with the Council is mandatory for qualified teachers in maintained schools, non-maintained special schools and pupil referral units. It is voluntary for qualified teachers in other sectors. The registration fee for 2003-04 is £33.
The GTC has the power to take disciplinary action in cases where it is alleged that a registered teacher:
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is guilty of unacceptable professional conduct or serious professional incompetence
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has been convicted of a criminal offence which raises questions about his or her fitness to be a registered teacher.
except where the case involves the safety and welfare of children. Such a case is dealt with by the Secretary of State. All cases of misconduct must be reported to the Secretary of State who considers whether they raise issues of child safety and welfare. Where they do not, cases relating to registered teachers are referred to the GTC. Professional incompetence cases are referred directly to the GTC by employers.
The GTC considers cases in circumstances where a teacher has been dismissed for incompetence or misconduct, or would have been considered for dismissal, had he or she not resigned. Where the teacher is, for example, employed by an agency, the GTC considers cases where the school or LEA has ceased to use the teacher's services on the grounds of incompetence or misconduct or might have ceased to use them if the teacher had not left the school.
Where the GTC find a teacher guilty of unacceptable professional conduct, serious professional incompetence or for having been convicted of a relevant criminal offence, it has the power to serve a disciplinary order on the teacher. A disciplinary order may stipulate that the teacher's name be removed from the GTC's register, that the teacher should meet specified conditions in order to maintain registration or to become eligible again for registration, or should be subject to a reprimand.
Qualified Teacher Status is one of the checks required as part of Safer Recruitment for teaching staff.
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