General Teaching Council for Scotland

The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) (Scottish Gaelic: Comhairle Choitcheann Teagaisg na h-Alba) is a fee based registered charity and the world's first independent self-regulating body for teaching. The current Chief Executive is Ken Muir and the current Convener of its Council is Derek A Thompson.

GTCS was the first professional registration body for teachers in the United Kingdom, and one of the first teaching councils in the world.

It was set up in 1965 under the Teaching Council (Scotland) Act 1965 following concerns that entry requirements had lowered after the Second World War and unqualified teachers were working in Scottish schools. Its powers, remits and duties have since been amended by other legislation, including the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 and the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act 2000. It is a legal requirement for all teachers working in Scottish local authority schools to be registered with GTCS (The Requirements for Teachers (Scotland) Regulations 2005 ).

On 2 April 2012 GTCS was granted independence status by the Scottish Government. The Teaching Council (Scotland) Act 1965 was repealed and replaced by the Public Services Reform (GTC Scotland) Order 2011. The Public Services Reform (General Teaching Council for Scotland) Order 2011 was made by Scottish Ministers in accordance with the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 and passed into law on 17 March 2011.

In June 2017 Scottish the Scottish Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, John Swinney, announced plans to reform the General Teaching Council for Scotland, bringing it together with other professional development bodies in a new Education Workforce Council for Scotland, similar to the Education Workforce Council in Wales. The Scottish Government intend to consult on establishing the Education Workforce Council for Scotland, which will take on the responsibilities of the GTCS, the Community Learning and Development Standards Council and register others working in education. Full details are to be published in the Scottish Government's consultation on a planned Education Bill in the autumn of 2017. The Educational Institute of Scotland, the dominant teaching union, said in a statement that: "We remain to be convinced about the need for potential changes to the General Teaching Council, a world renowned teacher-led body which ensures the highest professional standards are maintained."

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