Records of the General Teaching Council for England

Scope and Content

1. Governance

2. Regulation

3. Registration

4. Policy

5. Communications

Administrative / Biographical History

The General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) was established as a public corporation under the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998, along with the GTC for Wales.

Section 1 of the Act set the principal aims of the Council as:

(a) to contribute to improving the standards of teaching and the quality of learning, and

(b) to maintain and improve standards of professional conduct amongst teachers, in the interests of the public.

The governing body of the GTCE was the Council.

The General Teaching Council for England (Consitution) Regulations established a Council of 64 members, 25 of whom were elected by teachers 4 times a year. Initially, the Chair of Council was appointed by the Secretary of State - later the Chair was elected by the Council from among its number. Lord Puttnam of Queensgate was the first Chair.

2002 the Council "not a non-departmental public body but a body corporate"

At its meeting on 30 June 2004, the Council approved a revised operational structure for managing the Council’s business. Council also authorised the Chief Executive to revise committee delegations as appropriate for September 2004. The Council's role was to be more strategic and served by four committees: Audit, Resources and Planning, Policy and Research, and Registration and Regulation.

When the abolition of the Council was announced the Teacher Learning Academy was sold as a going concern. It is now administered by the College of Teachers. The archives hold no records or publications of the Academy such as the Research for Teachers series.

Access Information

Restricted access

This collection is mainly digital. Please contact the Archives for further information on gaining access.

Custodial History

Given by the GTCE in 2012.