General Teaching Council for England
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: "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". Following the passing of legislation, the GTC will close on 31 March 2012.
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[edit] Functions
In line with the aims set by the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1988, the GTC has three principal functions.
[edit] Maintaining a register of teachers in England
The GTC is the awarding body for Qualified Teacher Status (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.
[edit] 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'.[1]
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.
[edit] 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[2] 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
[edit] 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.[3]
[edit] Composition of the council
The GTC has 64 members.[4] 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
[edit] 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 Education, University of London and a full catalogue can be found online.
[edit] Abolition
The Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, announced on 2 June 2010, his intention to seek authority from Parliament to abolish the General Teaching Council for England.[5] 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".[6]
The Times Educational Supplement lamented the demise of the GTC and criticised the role of school teaching trade unions causing the profession to become little more than an extension to the civil service.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ Code of Conduct and Practice
- ^ GTC policy papers
- ^ GTC website registration section
- ^ List of GTC Council members
- ^ Shepherd, Jessica (3 June 2010). "'Deeply sceptical' Michael Gove calls time on teaching watchdog". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jun/03/michael-gove-teaching-watchdog.
- ^ GTC Press Release on government's announcement of closure, 2 October 2010
- ^ http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6106649
