The General Teaching Council for England (Additional Functions) Order 2001

Statutory Instruments

2001 No. 1214

EDUCATION, ENGLAND

The General Teaching Council for England (Additional Functions) Order 2001

Made

26th March 2001

Laid before Parliament

28th March 2001

Coming into force

1st May 2001

Being of the opinion that the General Teaching Council for England may, having regard to their general objectives, appropriately discharge the additional functions hereby conferred, and having carried out such consultation as appears to him to be appropriate in accordance with section 7(2) of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998(1), the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 7(1) and (3) and 42(7) of that Act(2), hereby makes the following Order:

1.  This Order may be cited as the General Teaching Council for England (Additional Functions) Order 2001 and shall come into force on 1st May 2001.

2.  In addition to their other functions the Council shall assist the Secretary of State in relation to the exercise of his power under section 218(2) of the Education Reform Act 1988(3) to determine, in accordance with regulations made under that provision, whether a person is a qualified teacher by—

(a) at the Secretary of State’s request—

(i) giving him advice about or assistance with, or

(ii) making a recommendation to him about,

any exercise of his function of determining that a person is a qualified teacher;

(b) providing information and advice to the public about the requirements for, and different methods of, becoming a qualified teacher; and

(c) at the Secretary of State’s request, carrying out administrative tasks connected with his function of determining that a person is a qualified teacher.

Jacqui Smith

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State,

Department for Education and Employment

26th March 2001

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order confers additional functions on the General Teaching Council for England, a body corporate established by section 1(1) of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998. The Council’s functions include establishing and maintaining a register of teachers, issuing a Code of Practice laying down the standards of professional conduct and practice expected of registered teachers, exercising disciplinary powers in relation to registered teachers and persons applying for registration and giving advice about teaching issues to the Secretary of State and others.

The additional functions conferred by this Order are to assist the Secretary of State with his function of determining whether a person is a qualified teacher under section 218(2) of the Education Reform Act 1988. They comprise the following:

(a) where the Secretary of State so requests, giving him advice, assistance and recommendations about the award of qualified teacher status to individuals;

(b) giving information and advice to the public about obtaining qualified teacher status; and

(c) where the Secretary of State so requests, carrying out administrative tasks connected with the award of qualified teacher status.

(1)

1998 c. 30.

(2)

The Secretary of State can exercise the powers under Part I of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 only in relation to England: see article 2 of and Schedule 1 to the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/672).

(3)

1988 c. 40; the regulations currently in force are the Education (Teachers' Qualifications and Health Standards) (England) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/2166 amended by S.I. 2000/2704).