The Department for Education is seeking views on proposed changes to the teacher misconduct arrangements operated by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education.
This was published on 1st February 2022 and states consultation will close at 11.45pm on 14th March 2022.
To consultation itself is being held on the following website and there is an online form that can be completed: Teacher misconduct: regulating the teaching profession – Department for Education – Citizen Space
Consultation proposals include:
- Broadening the scope of the current teacher misconduct provisions to include those who commit misconduct when not employed as a teacher, but who have previously carried out teaching work (for example, teachers on a career break or those acting as supply teachers who are between jobs).
- Broadening the scope of the current provisions to include a wider range of education settings (such as online education providers and further education colleges).
- Enabling the Secretary of State to consider referrals of serious teacher misconduct regardless of how the matter comes to their attention. The current teacher misconduct provisions do not permit anyone who acts on behalf of the Secretary of State (such as a DfE official in any DfE group, agency or arm’s length body) to make a referral to the TRA on the basis of information obtained through their role acting on behalf of the Secretary of State. The consultation proposes allowing DfE officials to refer a case to the TRA where they come across evidence during the course of their normal duties, that a teacher may be guilty of unacceptable professional conduct or conduct that may bring the teaching profession into disrepute, or has been convicted (at any time) of a relevant offence.
