Introduction
Welcome to GTC Scotland and congratulations on achieving full registration. As a fully registered teacher in Scotland, we want you to feel proud to be part of a regulated profession that plays a vital role in society, values high professional standards and promotes trust in teaching.
Below is some helpful information as you embark on your career as a fully registered teacher in Scotland. This information is for fully registered primary, secondary and Further Education teachers who:
- completed initial teacher education in Scotland and have qualified either via the Teacher Induction Scheme or the Flexible Route
- qualified into Scotland from another country via equivalency or the Flexible Route
- qualified as fully registered college lecturers (TQFE)
Teachers are not simply at the heart of public education – they are its heart. – Stevenson and Gilliant, 2016
Our role
GTC Scotland was established in 1965 following calls from teachers for a body to ensure teacher standards. It was made a fully independent body in 2012. We are the regulator for teachers in Scotland. We work in the public interest to enhance trust in teachers by setting, upholding and promoting high standards and as a safeguard for the quality of education.
Registration
It is a legal requirement for all teachers working in Scottish schools to be registered with GTC Scotland.
The benefit of registration with GTC Scotland is belonging to a regulated profession enshrined in law. Being on the register of teachers reflects your professional standing as a qualified teacher, your commitment to public protection and upholding the standards of the teaching profession in Scotland.
An individual who is employed as a teacher must be employed in a role that aligns with their registration category by law. The registration category aligns with the teaching qualification and experience of the individual applicant.
Teaching standards
Together the Professional Standards and the Code of Professionalism and Conduct (COPAC) set out what it means to become, be, and to grow as a teacher in Scotland.
The Standard for Full Registration is the foundation of the Professional Standards for teachers and is the benchmark of competence required of all fully registered teachers in Scotland. The Professional Standards for Lecturers in Scotland’s Colleges provides a clear description of the professional practice, knowledge, behaviours, qualities and capabilities that lecturers in colleges are expected to maintain and enhance throughout their careers. COPAC presents the ethical standards that all teachers must uphold and supports ethical decision making.
We encourage fully registered teachers to use the three aspirational standards as appropriate (Standard for Career-long Professional Learning, Standards for Middle Leadership, Standard for Headship), to support and enhance their professionalism.
You can also find the Professional Ethics in Teaching video on our website, which focuses on the importance of ethics as a key theme across COPAC and highlights the importance of ethics in teaching.
Fitness to Teach
Our Fitness to Teach process is about ensuring that standards of conduct and competence are upheld. We investigate serious concerns about people employed as teachers in Scottish schools and colleges.
Watch the following video for a summary of our Fitness to Teach process or visit the Fitness to Teach pages to find out more.
Professional Update
Engagement in the Professional Update (PU) process is a requirement for registration with GTC Scotland and is key to maintaining teacher professionalism. You are required to confirm your PU every 5 years.
Professional Review and Development (PRD) is an integral aspect of PU, and provides you with ongoing opportunities to reflect on your practice and personal learning through professional learning dialogue supported by an annual review meeting.
For teachers that are not in employment or working in an establishment which does not have a validated PU process but who wish to maintain registration, the Professional Update process can be completed via a direct submission process to GTC Scotland.
MyGTCS
MyGTCS allows teachers to document their professional learning and record the outcomes of the activity and link this to the Professional Standards, PRD and Professional Update. It enables you to critically reflect and record professional learning throughout your career.
In addition, the Research area in MyGTCS offers access to a wide range of resources, including access to over 1,700 education journals and access to eBooks on themes of assessment, enquiry and research, leadership and more.
MyGTCS is where you go to update your contact and employment details with us. It is vital that you keep these updated throughout your teaching career.
Useful links
Our website has a search function at the top of the page, to help you find any information you are looking for. You can also keep up to date on the latest news from us in the GTC Scotland news and updates area and blog.