• Fitness to Teach
• Adjudicating Panels
• Appeals
• Employer's responsibilities
• Fitness to Teach (complaints) panel hearings schedule and decisions
• Fitness to Teach FAQ's
• Hearing types
• Investigation process
• Making a complaint
• Rules and policies

The investigations process

Throughout our investigating process, we aim to ensure that the process is fair and transparent and that any action taken is proportionate given all of the circumstances and options available. An outline of the process followed is set out below:

1. Complaint received

A complaint may be referred to us from a variety of sources including employers and members of the public.

We are notified directly by the police of any conviction against a registered teacher. In the case of an individual applying for registration or re-registration we will obtain confirmation by checking the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme membership status of any convictions relating to that person, whether spent or unspent, as well as any other relevant non-conviction information which the police may make available.

2. Investigations

Once a complaint is received by us, we investigate it to gather further information to provide to an Investigating Panel. Investigations vary according to the particular case circumstances but this may include corresponding with law enforcement agencies (e.g. the police), Courts, employers and any witnesses.

The investigation is carried out independently of any other process and is focused on the matter of fitness to teach. This is a very different focus from those investigation processes carried out by, for example, an employer who are considering an individual's status as an employee or a law enforcement agency who are considering whether an individual is guilty of a crime.

3. Teacher/Applicant Responds

All information gathered is shared with the teacher/applicant concerned in order that they may respond to it.

We strongly suggest that advice should be sought from a professional association, trade union or solicitor as part of preparing or submitting a response.

We would suggest that a response should address the allegation(s) set out in the complaint and provide the teacher/applicant's version of events. Where appropriate, it is helpful if a teacher/applicant is able to show that they have reflected upon matters and taken any corrective action that may be appropriate or possible in the circumstances.

4. Consideration of the complaint an Investigating Panel (IP)

IPs are made up of Council members, a majority of which must be elected registered teachers. There must always be at least 1 non-teacher on the Panel. The IP consist of 3 members sitting at any meeting in order to consider a case.

The teacher/applicant is given at least 28 days notice of the meeting at which their case will be considered.

IP meetings are held in private. Neither the teacher/applicant nor any complainant, employer or witness is entitled to attend. The IP makes its decision on the basis of the written evidence placed before it only.

The IP will decide whether or not to refer the case to a Fitness to Teach Panel for a hearing. It may do so where it is satisfied that evidence has been provided that demonstrates that the individual concerned may not be fit to teach. This is not a determination of guilt, it is a determination that there is potentially an issue that the Fitness to Teach Panel should look at more fully.

The IP will make its decision taking into account all the circumstances of the complaint, including how long ago the alleged events took place and whether any other or similar complaints have been made about the teacher/applicant concerned. Each case is considered individually.

For more information, view Committees.

Where no referral is made by IP, the investigation process will be considered concluded at that point. Please note that the IP may also defer its decision in a case to a future meeting in order to allow further information to be obtained.

Part of the investigations process is the Investigating Panel (IP). This panel is made up of members of Council and at least 1 independent lay member (non teacher). Find out more about the Investigating Panels.