In response to Peter Birbeck’s letter (TES, October 27), it is ridiculous to describe the General Teaching Council’s regulatory work as a witch-hunt.
The GTC does not go about putting down teachers with fire and the sword.
A very small number of teachers - 0.02 per cent of the profession - come before the GTC as part of a statutory procedure designed to protect the reputation of teaching as a whole by upholding professional standards in the public interest.
I accept that the experience is stressful for the teacher, but we do our best to give the teacher a fair, transparent and impartial hearing. As Carol Adams said in her interview: “We’re not meant to be as punitive as possible. We’re meant to be as close to justice as possible.”
Where we can, even when a sanction is thought necessary, remedial steps such as further training are identified so that the teacher has the chance to return to practice.
It is not true that the GTC is loathed by those who come into contact with it. Many teachers and all the teacher associations have paid tribute to our regulatory work. The teachers who attend GTC conferences and seminars and take part in our networks are positive about what we do.
I know we have a long way to go to win the active support of most teachers, but to accuse Ms Adams or the GTC of being complacent is unfair and untrue.
Judy Moorhouse
Chair of the General Teaching Council for England
London
