The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTC Scotland) is the independent regulator for teachers in Scotland. We work to maintain and enhance trust in teaching.

It is a legal requirement for all those employed as teachers in Scottish schools to be registered with us.  

As part of agreed national terms and conditions of employment, college lecturers must register with us. 

Our role is to register and regulate teachers and college lecturers. We do this by keeping a public register and setting and upholding the standards for entering and remaining in the teaching profession.  

We ensure these standards are maintained by asking teachers and college lecturers to confirm their commitment to learning, and that standards are improved by encouraging ongoing learning. This contributes to improving the quality of teaching and learning.  

We uphold the standards and protect the public by investigating serious concerns about teachers and college lecturers. 

Registering and regulating the teaching profession gives us insight. We use our voice to speak up for high standards. It is high standards that help instil trust in the profession and enhance the status of the profession.  

We are governed by a Council of 37 members.  

We are independent from government and receive no funding for our core role of registration and regulation. This work is funded by the fees teachers and college lecturers pay.  

Our role is set out in law, The Public Services Reform (General Teaching Council for Scotland) Order 2011: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2011/215/contents/made  

Our Vision: Trusted teaching. 

Our Mission: Maintain the integrity of registration and regulation of the teaching profession as a safeguard for the quality of education in Scotland. To enhance trust in teaching at an individual, group and system level. This ensures the best possible outcomes for learners.

GTC Scotland

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