GTC responds to the Policy Exchange report on incompetent teachers

Responding to the Policy Exchange report on incompetent teachers, GTC Chief Executive Keith Bartley says:

'We have made a commitment to strengthening every link in the referrals process because it is profoundly damaging to pupils’ education if incompetence among teachers is not dealt with effectively. We are working with the Department for Children, Schools and Families to develop a joint research programme to investigate patterns of referral and the steps needed to improve the process.  We need to ensure that the right measures are in place to support professional improvement at local level but to refer cases to us where remedial action has failed.

'We have held face to face meetings with staff in all 150 local authorities in an effort to ensure that the need to refer cases is clearly understood.  We have received assurances from many local authorities that they have no such referrals to make.  Nevertheless, the Policy Exchange report correctly states that almost two thirds of local authorities have never made a competence referral to the GTC.'