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Professional Update enquiries
We receive a very high number of queries each day. On average we receive 7,500 emails and phone calls a month. As a small team, we are unable to respond to this volume of queries quickly. Sending multiple enquiries about the same subject leads to further delays in our response time. We are working as fast as we can to get back to you.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Answers to commonly asked questions
Do you have a question about the annual registration fee? It may be answered in our Registration Fee FAQ.
Change of Name
To notify us of a name change, please email gtcs@gtcs.org.uk and attach a copy of a document providing proof of name change. We accept the following documents as proof of name change: a marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate, divorce certificate or change of name deed.
Please scan or photograph this certificate, and save it in PDF format with the title “Your Last Name as previously on the register – Your GTC Scotland Registration Number”. Please use the email subject “Change of Name”.
Please include your date of birth and postcode in this email as additional proof of your identity.
We have provided a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the Professional Update process here.
If you are currently registered with GTC Scotland, you or any other regulator or employer can use the Search the Register function to confirm your registration status.
We are unable to provide proof of registration to individuals who are no longer registered with GTC Scotland. This is because when you are no longer registered, we do not receive information from employers or updates from Disclosure Scotland on your suitability for employment as a teacher or college lecturer. We are unable to confirm to other teacher regulation agencies or employers that you continue to meet the standards of conduct and competence required to remain on the GTC Scotland Register of Teachers.
Professional Registration allows teachers who hold Full Registration in Primary or Secondary (subject) categories to add additional subjects/sectors to their registration.
Find out more about registering in an additional subject or sector.
Additional Support Needs
To register in Additional Support Needs, you need to hold Full (General) Registration with us and hold an appropriate ASN award.
Find out how to apply for registration in Additional Support Needs.
You do not need to tell us that you are going on maternity or adoption leave.
Contact details
Please update your contact details to ensure we have an email account and phone number on the register that you will have regular access to while on leave. This will allow us to contact you about your registration if we need to.
Log in to MyGTCS to update your details.
Professional Update
If your Professional Update Sign-off is due during, or soon after your maternity leave, you have two options for sign-off.
- If it is your sign-off year, you can defer sign-off for a year.
- You can bring forward your sign-off to this session. Once you have successfully signed-off PU, your next session will be in 5 years’ time.
Paying your Annual Registration Fee
The registration fee is the same level for all registrants: £65.
If you currently work for a local authority or college your annual registration fee may be deducted from your salary. If it not, we will contact you directly with information on how to pay by June. Please keep your contact details up to date through MyGTCS as failure to pay could lead to you being lapsed from the Register.
We will issue receipts for the payment of the Fee once we have collected it from all Registrants.
Regulation
During your maternity or adoption leave, you will be expected to continue to maintain to maintain the appropriate Professional Values and Personal Commitment set out in the appropriate Professional Standards
You do not need to tell us that you are taking a career break or going on secondment. However, we ask that you update your employer details within MyGTCS.
Contact details
Please update your contact details to ensure we have an email account and phone number on the register that you will have regular access to during your career break. This will allow us to contact you if we need to in relation to your Registration and any Regulation matters.
Log in to MyGTCS to update your details.
Professional Update
If you are working in a local authority, national body or other education body, we may have approved their professional learning process through Professional Update validation. If so, you will follow the usual Professional Review and Development and PU sign-off process.
If we have not validated your employer, you can complete Professional Update sign-off using the Direct Submission process.
Paying your annual registration fee
The annual registration fee is the same level for all registrants: £65.
If your career break or secondment is in a local authority or college your annual registration fee may be deducted from your salary. If it not, we will contact you directly with information on how to pay. Please keep your contact details up-to-date through MyGTCS as failure to pay could lead to you being lapsed from the Register.
Regulation
During your career break or secondment, you will be expected to continue to maintain to maintain the appropriate Professional Values and Personal Commitment set out in the appropriate Professional Standards
If you are no longer undertaking any work in school or colleges you can cancel your registration:
- at the end of the current registration year (31 March)
by emailing gtcs@gtcs.org.uk with the subject line “Cancel Registration – End of Current Period”. - with immediate effect
by emailing gtcs@gtcs.org.uk with the subject line “Cancel Registration – Immediate”.
It is not possible to refund all or part of your annual registration fee.
Associate Status
If you are no longer teaching, but would like to maintain your registration with GTC Scotland, you can move to full (associate) registration. Find out more about Associate Status.
If you are retiring from teaching full-time but intend to work as a supply teacher in the future, you will need to maintain Full (General) Registration with GTC Scotland. If you intend to engage in any supply teaching work, it is a legal requirement to be registered, regardless of how many days you work in any registration year.
Contact details
Please update your contact details to ensure we have an email account and phone number on the register that you will have regular access to in retirement. This will allow us to contact you if we need to in relation to your Registration.
Log in to MyGTCS to update your details.
Paying your annual registration fee
The annual registration fee is the same level for all registrants: £65.
Unless you find yourself working regularly for a local authority or college, it is unlikely that your annual registration fee will be deducted from your salary. We will notify you by June to pay the fee directly to GTC Scotland.
We will issue receipts for the payment of the fee once we have collected it from all Registrants.
Professional Update
We recognise that some supply teachers can have difficulty accessing aspects of professional learning and the Professional Review and Development process.
Check with your local authority in the first instance, to see what the arrangements are. If you work in more than one local authority, you can nominate one to be your employer.
We suggest that you bring forward your Professional Update sign-off before you leave your current employment context. This will give you 5 years until you need to submit again and means you can successfully sign-off with a reviewer who knows you well.
Regulation
During your retirement, you will be expected to continue to maintain to maintain the appropriate Professional Values and Personal Commitment set out in the appropriate Professional Standards
You do not need to tell us that you are moving outside Scotland. However, we ask that you update your employer details within MyGTCS.
When you move outside Scotland you have three options:
- Cancel your registration and leave the register. If you return to Scotland in the future and wish to return to the register, you can follow the process here to re-register.
- Keep your Fully Registered (General) status. You would need to pay the Annual Fee directly to us through MyGTCS. You would also need to continue to record your professional learning and sign-off using the Direct Submission process.
- Move to Fully Registered (Associate) status. You would need to pay the Annual Fee directly to us through MyGTCS. You would not need to complete the sign-off process for Professional Update. You can transfer back to Fully Registered (General) Status, the process for transferring back is different depending on how long you have been an associate member. Find out more about Associate status.
Contact details
Please update your contact details to ensure we have an email account and phone number on the register that you will have regular access to when you move. This will allow us to contact you if we need to in relation to your Registration and any Regulation matters.
Log in to MyGTCS to update your details.
Regulation
During your time outside Scotland, you will be expected to continue to maintain to maintain the appropriate Professional Values and Personal Commitment set out in the appropriate Professional Standards
Contact form
The best way to contact us is using the contact form below.
Phone
Alternatively, you can call us on +44 (0)131 314 6000. Our Customer Service Officers answer calls from Monday to Friday, 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm. We also check our voicemail messages regularly throughout the day.
If you are calling, please be prepared to provide your name, contact phone number and email address, and your registration number or case reference number.
Address
Clerwood House
96 Clermiston Road
Edinburgh
EH12 6UT