1. The General Teaching Council for Scotland
Autumn Briefing:
Registering as a Teacher
John Adams (Senior Manager, Student Support)
Student Support Team
Mention Elaine Napier

2. What does GTC Scotland do?
accredits all teaching programmes and some professional learning programmes
regulates the profession by controlling access to the Register and removal from it using standards for competence and codes of conduct
promotes professionalism through the suite of professional standards, codes of conduct, professional recognition awards, and Professional Update
Examples from the world of regulation:
Facebook and Twitter etc

3. Where does GTC Scotland fit in?
Education
Scotland and other national bodies
Universities
Local Authorities
Scottish Government

4. What will be covered today?
Applying for Registration
Criminal Records Checks
Teacher Induction Scheme
Flexible Route
Timescale over the next year
Communication over the next year
Using your MyGTCS account

5. How do I apply for registration?
You must apply – it’s a legal requirement
You apply online:
Available from November
Choose 5 local authority preferences or choose Preference Waiver (go anywhere)
Dual Qualified
Online declaration
Disabilities monitoring
Direct Debit Mandate

6. How do criminal record checks work?
You must have membership of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme through Disclosure Scotland:
Full or Short (Existing) scheme check – likely to be existing scheme member due to placements
3 forms of ID needed – photocopies only
Cost – payment method via data capture sheet, include with ID on return
Scheme Membership Statement – cannot be used for registration
What happens if I declare a criminal record?
Scheme Membership Statement – cannot be used for registration purposes as doesn’t show vetting or criminal convictions. Student must complete EPVG but different boxes will be crossed at A1 so very important they tell us if only Scheme Membership Statement

7. What routes are there to becoming a fully registered teacher?
Two routes for probationer teachers:
Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS)
Flexible Route (FR)

8. What are the key features of the Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS)?
Eligible if completing a TQ at a Scottish University and UK or EU citizen
Funded by Scottish Government
Guaranteed employment by a local authority
Takes 190 days (1 continuous school year)
Only available on a full-time basis
Reduced class contact time c. 80% to allow for extra professional learning (about 18 hours a week)
Support at school and LA levels
Time limit 3 years
Must meet The Standard for Full Registration
“Scotland’s approach to Teacher Induction is World Class”
(OECD Report)

9. What’s the Flexible Route?
Can be employed by local authority or independent schools
Can choose own local authority
Can work part-time
Can consider teaching outside of Scotland (but we don’t want you to do that!)
BUT ...
It takes 270 days (about a year and a half)
You must find your own post
No guaranteed work or support
Time limit 5 years
Must still meet The Standard for Full Registration

10. (*TIS is strongly recommended if you are eligible)
What choices do I have?
First, you need to decide whether to:
Proceed through the TIS* (if eligible) OR
Proceed through the FR
(*TIS is strongly recommended if you are eligible)

11. Second, if you choose the TIS, you need to decide whether to:
What choices do I have?
Second, if you choose the TIS, you need to decide whether to:
Choose 5 Councils in order of preference OR
Choose the Preference Waiver Option (willing to go anywhere)
Dual Qualifications

12. What happens if I choose the TIS?
If you decide to make 5 preferred choices:
Think carefully about your circumstances
Think carefully about location: there’s a map on the online application form and links to some Council information on the In2Teaching website
Remember you could be allocated your 5th choice

13. What happens if I choose the TIS?
If you decide to opt for the Preference Waiver Payment:
You can be allocated to a vacancy anywhere in Scotland
You are given financial assistance of £6,000 in Primary and £8,000 in Secondary (due to difficulties in placing in Secondary) payable in 3 instalments (August, January and April during your TIS year)

14. What happens if I choose the TIS?
No matter whether you choose 5 preferences or the Preference Waiver:
Gaelic Medium Students – should indicate this on the application; placed separately as not all Councils have Gaelic provision
Denominational – approval may be needed by the Catholic Church (see SCES website) and certificate in Catholic RE may be preferred; vacancies not guaranteed
Allocation process – tries to match Council vacancies with your preferences
Disabilities – advised to disclose in order to be supported and placed appropriately, but it’s a personal choice
Deferrals – only eligible to apply in exceptional circumstances beyond your control; contact us if you are told that you will not complete by the summer
Withdrawing – must inform us straight away if you leave your course

15. Dual Qualified Will you qualify in one of the following?
Sciences – any 2 from Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Social subjects and RME – any 2 from Geography, History, Modern Studies, RME
MFL – any 2 from French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish
Computing with Business Education ot Mathematics
Drama with Music or English
Physics with mathematics

16. Dual Qualification
If yes you have the option to opt to complete your probationary period in both subjects
This is voluntary

17. What happens if I choose the TIS?
You should make your choices and complete the application process by Christmas
You can make changes until Friday 17 February (either switching from 5 preferences to PWP or vice versa, or changing the Councils and their order or from Dual Qualified to single)
Changes are made online via MyGTCS
You will receive a confirmation when changes are made and they will show on your MyGTCS page

18. What are the timescales this year?
Nov – Dec:
Students apply for registration and PVG scheme
GTCS start processing criminal record checks (approximately 3,000)
19 Feb:
No further changes to preferences
End of May:
Students informed of allocated local authority ( & MyGTCS)
July:
Registration completed

19. Communication between the GTCS and you
Change of details – make any changes on MyGTCS straight away
Withdrawing or leaving the course – let us know straight away by phone and
Make preference changes via MyGTCS by 17 February
bulletins – watch out for these from us
Text Message – watch out for these from us
- check our website from time to time
use this address if you need to contact us

20. What can I do through the MyGTCS account?
Your MyGTCS account will be set up when you apply and you can:
View and change your TIS preferences
View allocation information with local authority contact information
Complete your ITE Profile next spring
Access your TIS profile during your probation
Update contact details any time
View registration details (once registered)
View qualifications (once registered)
Access the MyCommunity forum
Access a new research area: over 1,700 education journals via our free EBSCO service

21. How do I get more information?
Teaching Scotland magazine
Teaching Scotland Online
Twitter #gtcs