GTC Scotland, the independent regulator for teachers in Scotland, has published its Annual Report 2023 to 2024.
The Annual Report sets out the progress of GTC Scotland’s change and improvement work over the first year of its 5 year strategic plan, Trusted Teaching. In essence, the organisation is focused on delivering its core functions of registration and regulation well.
GTC Scotland’s planned work for the lifespan of this strategic plan is guided by two strategic themes: trust and impact.
Enhancing trust in teaching
GTC Scotland’s first strategic outcome is: trust in teaching is enhanced at an individual, group and system level, positively impacting learners and guiding educational change.
GTC Scotland set out to achieve this by:
- strengthening its registration and regulation frameworks
- speaking up for high standards in teaching
Work to meet these aims this year included:
- engaging and consulting on a revised Memorandum on Entry Requirements to Programmes of Initial Teacher Education
- reviewing the impact of Professional Update
- launching a review of the Fitness to Teach Rules, including commissioning the Professional Standards Authority to carry out an independent review of the Fitness to Teach process
- undertaking a programme of stakeholder engagement and education on the Registration rules following an initial consultation
- hosting events for registrants focused on the Professional Standards including our first events exploring the Professional Standards for Lecturers in Scotland’s College and Middle Leadership
- increasing Parliamentary engagement work by issuing bespoke newsletters, circulating briefings in advance of key debates and hosting a roundtable at the Scottish Parliament
- participating in the ongoing Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry using insight from Fitness to Teach work and calling for improvements to information flow to make the regulatory system more effective
Improving performance and impact
GTC Scotland’s second strategic outcome is: improve our performance and impact for the teaching profession and in the public interest.
GTC Scotland set out to achieve this by:
- enhancing our data, systems and processes to better meet needs and ensure our sustainability
- valuing and supporting our people to deliver with impact
Particular attention has been given to our digital services over the last year to ensure our technology and staff are prepared to meet the demands of broader digital change. This includes reviewing and improving the digital skills and landscape of the organisation and ongoing developments to our digital services. A new-look website was published earlier this year with improved functionality. Updates to the MyPL professional learning platform are ongoing, with feedback from registrants taken into consideration.
A stronger position
Dr Pauline Stephen, Chief Executive and Registrar, GTC Scotland, said:
“As we look back on the past year, we have set the foundations to achieve our ambition to be a modern and agile regulator, against the backdrop of wider reform. We embark on the 2nd year of our strategic planning period with optimism and enthusiasm for the work we have ahead of us.”
“As the independent regulator for teachers in Scotland, we speak up for high standards in teaching. Professional standards are embedded in the requirements we set for Scotland’s teaching profession for a reason. Our collective approach to providing quality education needs to take pride in these high standards. This is integral to our vision of trusted teaching.”
Read the GTC Scotland Annual Report 2023 to 2024
Call for views: Fitness to Teach rules
GTC Scotland is carrying out a review of its Fitness to Teach Rules. This review includes:
- An independent review by the Professional Standards Authority of the performance and efficiency of GTC Scotland’s Fitness to Teach process.
- A call for views on general themes surrounding the Fitness to Teach Rules and processes.
