Introduction

published:12 Oct 2009

The Code sets out expectations of conduct and practice for registered teachers. Its purpose is to guide teachers' everyday judgements and actions and provide the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) with principles to use in regulating the profession.

The GTCE developed the Code with teachers and others with an interest in teaching and learning. It reflects the standards that teachers expect of themselves and others expect of the profession.

Teaching - a skilled and trusted profession
Teachers have a profound and lasting influence on the development and life chances of children and young people. Their knowledge, skill, judgement, creativity and commitment play a vital role in society.

Given the importance of teaching to children and young people, and society as a whole, it is essential that teachers continue to maintain standards of teaching practice and professional conduct.

How standards are maintained
As members of a skilled and trusted profession, teachers are responsible for reflecting on their own conduct and practice and ensuring that they meet the standards required of them.

Expectations of teachers are set out in national standards, statutory duties and employment contracts. Teachers' actions are also guided by a set of professional values that inform everything they do.

One distinct value that teachers share is a commitment to continual learning and development - for children and young people, colleagues and themselves. Teachers' work is also shaped by other important values of public life, including:

• selflessness
• integrity
• honesty
• objectivity
• accountability
• openness
• leadership.

The role of the GTCE
As the professional and regulatory body for teaching, the GTCE has an important role in strengthening teacher professionalism.

Launched in September 2000, the GTCE is independent from government, and is made up of practising teachers and others in society involved in teaching and learning in different ways. It aims, in the public interest, to:

• contribute to improving standards of teaching and the quality of learning
• maintain and improve standards of professional conduct among teachers.

The GTCE is the awarding body for qualified teacher status (QTS) in England and maintains a register of qualified teachers. All teachers (including supply and temporary teachers) in maintained schools and pupil referral units, and in non-maintained special schools must be registered with the GTCE. Other qualified teachers, including some of those who work in the independent sector, choose to register. Trainee teachers, instructors and overseas trained teachers are required to be registered with the GTCE on a provisional basis.

Professional regulation
The GTCE is responsible for assuring the maintenance of standards of practice and conduct among those on its register. One important way in which it does this is through professional regulation.

The purpose of professional regulation is to protect children and young people and safeguard the standing of the profession by assuring that the conduct and practice of those on the register does not fall seriously short of expected standards.

The GTCE investigates and may take action against registered teachers who are dismissed by their employers for incompetence or misconduct, or who resign in situations where dismissal is a possibility.

This Code also applies to trainee teachers, instructors and overseas trained teachers who are provisionally registered with the Council. The GTCE investigates and may take action against trainees who are required to leave a course for reasons of misconduct, or who choose to discontinue their studies in circumstances in which they could have been required to leave. However the provisions of the Code that relate to professional competence do not apply to trainees since they are not yet qualified.

This Code of Conduct and Practice sets out the principles that the GTCE will use as part of a fair and robust disciplinary procedure.

The focus and interpretation of the Code
The Code focuses on behaviours and the way in which teachers conduct themselves on a day-to-day basis. It reflects the professional values outlined above and the Statement of values for integrated working, drawn up by the GTCE, the General Social Care Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council in 2007.

The Code includes examples of instances in which teachers' conduct or practice has fallen seriously short of expected standards and the GTCE has taken disciplinary action. These examples are intended to give an indication of how the GTCE may interpret the Code in its disciplinary proceedings.

The Code sets out expectations of reasonable standards of behaviour but does not limit a teacher's right to a private life.

The Code refers throughout to 'the school'. However, it applies to all registered teachers, whatever their institutional setting.

How the Code was developed
The teaching profession has had a Code in place since 2004. In 2007, the GTCE began a process to update and refresh the Code, to ensure that it continues to support teacher professionalism in a changing context.

This revised Code has been produced following wide consultation with teachers and others with an interest in teaching and learning. The consultation process comprised a series of structured discussions with groups of stakeholders before drafting, and a detailed, systematic national consultation on the draft Code.

The GTCE has also carried out an Equality Impact Assessment to assess the possible impact of the Code, either positively or negatively, on different groups, whether by ethnicity, disability or gender. The GTCE has concluded that the likely impact is positive, given the expectations of practice that it sets out. The GTCE will monitor the impact of the Code in accordance with its responsibilities as a public body.