Consultation on the General Teaching Council for Scotland

SECTION 1 Introduction

1. The General Teaching Council for Scotland is an advisory Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) established by the Teaching Council (Scotland) Act 1965. It held its first meeting in March 1966. The setting up of such a body had been recommended by a committee which had been asked to address the problem of large numbers of uncertificated teachers working in Scottish schools. Teacher shortages had forced a relaxation of controls over entry to the profession and there was considerable dissatisfaction with standards in schools.

2. The Council maintains a register of teachers: every teacher who wishes to be employed in a local authority school in Scotland must be registered with the Council. Admission to the register is granted to those deemed fit to teach.

3. The Council's main functions are:

• to keep under review standards of education, training and fitness to teach appropriate to those entering the teaching profession and to make recommendations to Scottish Ministers on these and associated matters;
• to advise Scottish Ministers on teacher supply and teacher education and related matters;
• to keep itself informed of the nature of the instruction given in teacher education institutions and make recommendations to governing bodies;
• to maintain a register of teachers qualified to teach in Scotland;
• to determine whether a teacher has successfully completed a probationary period;
• to conduct investigative and disciplinary proceedings in respect of teachers convicted of serious offences or accused of professional misconduct, with the ultimate sanction of removal from the register.

4. Essentially, the GTC regulates entry to the profession and is involved in cases of misconduct by teachers. The GTC itself has long wished to have its role extended into teachers' continuing professional development (CPD) and competence.

5. On 7 December 1998, the then Education Minister, Helen Liddell, MP, announced a review of the GTC, with a view to including any necessary legislative change in early legislation in the Scottish Parliament. After competitive tendering, Deloitte and Touche were contracted to carry out the review, which had the following remit:

To examine and report on the role, structure and effectiveness of the GTC with particular reference to:

(a) the role of the GTC in raising standards and enhancing professionalism in the Scottish teaching force;

(b) the effectiveness of the GTC's present composition, structure and organisation in the light of its present and any likely future functions;

(c) the relationship between the GTC and the Secretary of State in the light of the GTC's combined roles as independent regulator of the teaching profession in Scotland, adviser on matters concerned with the teaching profession and its present and possible future executive responsibilities;

(d) the scope for modernising the GTC's rules, procedures and working arrangements.

6. The final report of the review is available on the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED) website at WWW.scotland.gov.uk . For those without Internet access, a limited supply of hard copies is available from the address in section 7.