24-25/86

I refer to your request for information dated 20 January 2024 (FOI 24 - 25 / 86) in which you submitted various queries regarding referrals made to the General Teaching Council for Scotland which we have handled under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act (FOISA).  

You asked for records of “ongoing or closed conduct investigations” in the “Croy and Culloden area within the Highland Council’s jurisdiction” from 01 July 2023 to 20 January 2025. 

We do not record the “specific administrative area” as you requested and so do not hold this information as per section 17(1)(b) of FOISA. However, I can confirm that between 01 July 2023 and 20 January 2025 there were 17 referrals related to conduct which GTC Scotland received regarding registrants employed by the Highland Council. Of these, 11 cases were closed and 6 remain open as data extracted on 21 January 2025. 

You have also asked which of these related specifically to “headteachers” within your request. Whilst we do hold information about this within the records we hold, given the number of records involved we consider that disclosure of this information could enable individuals to be identified. As a result, disclosure would breach the data protection principles set out in data protection legislation. FOISA does not require us to provide this sort of information as it is exempt undersection 38(1)(b).  

You may contact informationgovernance@gtcs.org.uk if you are dissatisfied with this response, to request GTCS conduct a review of it. You should describe the original request and explain your grounds of review. You have 40 working days from receipt of this response to submit a review request. When the review process has been completed, if you are still dissatisfied, you may use the Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance on making an appeal to do so.