Regulating the profession

last updated:19 Dec 2011

The Education Act, which confirms the abolition of the GTC, became law in November 2011. Until the GTC’s final closure on 31 March 2012, the GTC will continue to be responsible for regulating the profession and conducting disciplinary hearings.

For more information regarding the abolition of the GTC please see the Future of the GTC section.

The public has a right to expect that teachers uphold the highest professional standards, just as teachers have a right to be certain that their peers are in good standing with their professional body.

The GTC regulates the teaching profession in England in the public interest. This includes examining allegations of:

• serious professional incompetence
• unacceptable professional conduct.

The GTC also looks at criminal convictions, whether committed in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, to determine whether they are relevant to a teacher’s fitness to be registered.

Since September 2008, people training to be teachers have been required to provisionally register with the GTC.

Cases relating to the safety and welfare of children and young people are dealt with by the Independent Safeguarding Authority.