Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998
Encyclopedia
The Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 (c. 30) 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 Council
s (GTC's) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the modification the remit of the General Teaching Council for Scotland
. The act also made provision for the new system of student loans that were introduced, and introduces paid leave from work for training towards a qualification. The passing of this act repealed the Education (Student Loans) Act 1998, and the sections relating to student finance in the Education Act 1996. The student loans system was later updated in the Higher Education Act 2004
.
The Teaching and Higher Education Act is divided into four parts, which can be summarised as follows:
General Teaching Council
There are 4 General Teaching Councils within the United Kingdom:* General Teaching Council for England* General Teaching Council for Scotland* *...
s (GTC's) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the modification the remit of the General Teaching Council for Scotland
General Teaching Council for Scotland
The General Teaching Council for Scotland is a Scottish public body. It is the professional regulatory body for teachers in Scotland....
. The act also made provision for the new system of student loans that were introduced, and introduces paid leave from work for training towards a qualification. The passing of this act repealed the Education (Student Loans) Act 1998, and the sections relating to student finance in the Education Act 1996. The student loans system was later updated in the Higher Education Act 2004
Higher Education Act 2004
The Higher Education Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which introduced several changes to the higher education system in the United Kingdom, the most important and controversial being a major change to the funding of universities, and the operation of tuition fees, which...
.
The Teaching and Higher Education Act is divided into four parts, which can be summarised as follows:
Chapter One
- General Teaching Councils will be established in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Duty of GTC Scotland towards disabled persons and the representation of Special needs teachers
- Teachers at maintained schools in the UK are required to register with their GTC
- Teachers must abide by the GTC for England Code of ConductGeneral Teaching Council for EnglandThe General Teaching Council for England is the professional body for teaching in England. The GTC was established by the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 which set two aims:...
and the GTC for Wales Code of Conduct
Chapter Two
- Headteachers in schools in England and Wales (with some exceptions) must have a professional headship qualification.
- This chapter also makes provision for the inspection of teacher training institutions.
Chapter Three
- All Newly Qualified TeacherNewly Qualified TeacherNewly Qualified Teacher is a label attached to teachers in the United Kingdom who have been qualified for less than 12 months.-Origins:The term began to be used in the mid-1990s following the removal of the requirement for teachers to serve a probationary period in 1991 under the Education ...
s in the England and Wales are required to pass an induction periodInduction (teachers)Induction is used to refer to a period during which a Newly Qualified Teacher in England or Wales is both supported and assessed to ensure that regulatory standards are met.-Background:...
of three school terms (one school year). At the end of this period the headteacher is required to make a recommendation to the appropriate body as to whether the new teacher has achieved the standards set by the GTC.
Part two
- This section outlines, in very broad terms, the system of student loans in the UK. A non-governmental body is to set up (see Student Loans Company) to administer the awarding and recovery of these loans. The Student Loans Company is not directly mentioned in this section however; the statute only calls for the Secretary of State to administer these loans.
Part Three
- An insert to the Employment Rights Act 1996Employment Rights Act 1996The Employment Rights Act 1996 is a United Kingdom Act of Parliament passed by the Conservative government to codify the existing law on individual rights in UK labour law. Previous statutes, dating from the Contracts of Employment Act 1963, included the Redundancy Payments Act 1965, the...
which states that any employee who is 16 or 17, and not in full time education, and 'has not attained such standard of achievement as is prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State', is entitled to take time off their working hours to undertake training for a qualification.
- 'An employee who is permitted to take time off...is entitled to be paid remuneration by his employer for the time taken off at the appropriate hourly rate'
Part Four
- Miscellaneous additions, including the re-affirmation that the only educational services in the UK allowed to use the title 'University' are those that have been established by Royal CharterRoyal CharterA royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
or approved by the Privy CouncilPrivy councilA privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
.