Criminal convictions

Criminal convictions are notified to us directly usually by Disclosure Scotland as part of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme when someone applies for registration. A teacher may also make a self-referral to GTC Scotland about a criminal conviction.

We are told about a wide range of convictions, ranging from one-off road traffic offences to very serious offences related to child protection matters. Taking account of human rights proportionality and rehabilitation of offender principles, some convictions will not impair an individual’s fitness to teach. A process has been established to filter out these types of criminal convictions at an early stage so they don’t enter our Fitness to Teach process.

The following convictions will be handled under this process:

• Road traffic offences which did not result in a custodial sentence and there is no indication of a pattern of behaviour;
• Convictions which are not aggravated (e.g. domestically aggravated or racially aggravated etc.) and that:
  • did not involve children/young people; and
  • were dealt with by way of a fine, absolute discharge, conditional discharge or caution.