General Teaching Council for England
Encyclopedia
The General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) is the professional body for teaching
in England
. The GTC was established by the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998
which set two aims:
, announced on 2 June 2010, his intention to seek authority from Parliament to abolish the General Teaching Council for England. The GTC issued a press release stating:
The Times Educational Supplement
(parent paper of the FE Focus) laments the demise of the GTC and criticises the role of school teaching trade unions in causing the profession to become little more than an extension to the civil service. Critically the TES states:
(QTS) in England. All qualified teachers may register with the GTC. Registration with the GTC is a legal requirement for all qualified teachers in maintained schools, pupil referral units and non-maintained special schools. In addition to this, around a third of teachers in the independent sector are registered with the GTC. There are currently over 560,000 teachers on the GTC register.
The GTC regulates all "Registered Teachers", in other words any teacher working in maintained (state) schools. The GTC can also regulate teachers who are no longer registered provided misconduct or incompetence occurred when they were registered.
The GTC convenes panels to hear cases. Each panel is normally held in public, and includes two teachers, one lay member, and a legal advisor employed by the GTC. Panels are drawn from members of the Council plus a pool of specially appointed panellists. The GTC employs a presenting officer who is often a leading solicitor in the field of Professional Disciplinary. A panel has the powers to:
The GTC does not pay costs to teachers found not guilty of misconduct at hearings. Legal representation at hearings can cost up to £40,000. Some teachers are represented by trade unions, although Trade Unions employ solicitors and barristers to comply with the Human Rights legislation affording defendants equal representation to the barristers and solicitors employed by the GTCE.
, University of London and a full catalogue can be found online.
Education in England
Education in England is overseen by the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Local authorities take responsibility for implementing policy for public education and state schools at a regional level....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The GTC was established by the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998
Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998
The Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 was enacted by the United Kingdom Parliament on 16 July 1998, in order to improve the standards of teaching in the UK through the establishment of statutory General Teaching Councils for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the modification the remit...
which set two aims:
"to contribute to improving standards of teaching and the quality of learning, and to maintain and improve standards of professional conduct among teachers, in the interests of the public".http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/19980030.htm,
Abolition of the GTC
The Secretary of State for Education, Michael GoveMichael Gove
Michael Andrew Gove, MP is a British politician, who currently serves as the Secretary of State for Education and as the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for the Surrey Heath constituency. He is also a published author and former journalist.Born in Edinburgh, Gove was raised in Aberdeen...
, announced on 2 June 2010, his intention to seek authority from Parliament to abolish the General Teaching Council for England. The GTC issued a press release stating:
"We are seeking legal advice on our position and will be seeking urgent clarification from Ministers and Department for Education officials on the implications of today’s announcement for the GTC’s work over the next period and for its staff and Members".
The Times Educational Supplement
Times Educational Supplement
The Times Educational Supplement is a weekly UK publication aimed primarily at school teachers in the UK. It was first published in 1910 as a pull-out supplement in The Times newspaper. Such was its popularity that in 1914, the supplement became a separate publication selling for 1 penny.The TES...
(parent paper of the FE Focus) laments the demise of the GTC and criticises the role of school teaching trade unions in causing the profession to become little more than an extension to the civil service. Critically the TES states:
It is generally accepted that an essential part of any profession is the existence of a regulatory body that holds it to account and controls entry to it. Such a body is always independent of government and while informed and paid for by the profession is not in hock to it. The General Medical Council puts its duty succinctly: "We are not here to protect the medical profession - their interests are protected by others. Our job is to protect patients." And it charges doctors an annual fee of £420 for the privilege.
The three functions of the GTC
In line with the aims set by the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1988, the GTC has three principal functions.Maintaining a register of teachers in England
The GTC is the awarding body for Qualified Teacher StatusQualified Teacher Status
Qualified Teacher Status is required in England and Wales to become, and continue being, a teacher of children in the state and special education sectors...
(QTS) in England. All qualified teachers may register with the GTC. Registration with the GTC is a legal requirement for all qualified teachers in maintained schools, pupil referral units and non-maintained special schools. In addition to this, around a third of teachers in the independent sector are registered with the GTC. There are currently over 560,000 teachers on the GTC register.
Regulating the teaching profession
The GTC publish the Code of Conduct and Practice for Teachers. This code forms the basis of the regulatory process of the GTC. The GTC regulates the conduct and competence of teachers according to this code. Teachers' employers are required to tell the GTC when a teacher has been dismissed because of misconduct or incompetence or where they resign in circumstances justifying dismissal. The GTC can make the decision to remove from their register or restrict any teacher who has 'compromised the public confidence of the profession' or who has put 'the safety and welfare of children at risk'.The GTC regulates all "Registered Teachers", in other words any teacher working in maintained (state) schools. The GTC can also regulate teachers who are no longer registered provided misconduct or incompetence occurred when they were registered.
The GTC convenes panels to hear cases. Each panel is normally held in public, and includes two teachers, one lay member, and a legal advisor employed by the GTC. Panels are drawn from members of the Council plus a pool of specially appointed panellists. The GTC employs a presenting officer who is often a leading solicitor in the field of Professional Disciplinary. A panel has the powers to:
- Issue reprimands
- Issue a conditional registration order (continued GTC registration requires the teacher to adhere to certain conditions set at the hearing)
- Suspend a teacher from the register
- Prohibit a teacher from registration
The GTC does not pay costs to teachers found not guilty of misconduct at hearings. Legal representation at hearings can cost up to £40,000. Some teachers are represented by trade unions, although Trade Unions employ solicitors and barristers to comply with the Human Rights legislation affording defendants equal representation to the barristers and solicitors employed by the GTCE.
Providing advice to government and other agencies
The GTC gives advice to government and others on a wide range of policy issues that affect the teaching profession including issues relating to standards of teaching and learning. Advice has previously been given on topics including:- supporting the professional development of teachers
- pupil assessment
- teacher retention, and prevention of teachers leaving the profession
- equality and diversity in schools and the workforce
- working with other (non-teaching) adults in schools
- teacher and school accountability
- supporting teachers to effectively teach children with Special Educational Needs
Legal requirement
Being fully registered with the GTC is a legal requirement if you are employed in the maintained sector. Those qualified teachers working in independent schools can register voluntarily.Composition of the council
The GTC has 64 members. Elections to the council are made on a four year cycle, except the chair and vice chair of the council, which are elected annually. The GTC convenes four times a year to discuss policy and regulation of the teaching profession. The GTC is composed of:- 25 members elected from GTC registered teachers
- 9 members who are nominated by professional teaching organisations and trade unions
- 17 members nominated through other teaching related organisations
- 13 members nominated the GTC's public appointments procedure
Primary sources
The Archives of the GTC (England and Wales) and the GTC (England and Wales) Trust are held in the Archives of the Institute of EducationInstitute of Education
The Institute of Education is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom specialised in postgraduate study and research in the field of education and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It is the largest education research body in the United Kingdom, with...
, University of London and a full catalogue can be found online.