Guidance

Teacher misconduct: disciplinary procedures

Guidance on the teacher misconduct regulatory system and disciplinary procedures.

• From: Teaching Regulation Agency
• Published: 2 April 2013
• Last updated: 20 May 2020
  Show all updates

  1. 20 May 2020

     Previous procedures added to page for reference.

  2. 19 May 2020

     Full document reviewed and updated May 2020

  3. 27 July 2016

     Slight amendment to wording in section 4.1.

  4. 25 April 2016

     Section 4.1 updated on 18 April 2016.

  5. 18 April 2016

     Updated on 18 April 2016.

  6. 11 August 2015

     This document was updated on 6 February 2015.

  7. 11 July 2014

     This document has been updated on 11 July 2014.

  8. 2 April 2013

     First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Teacher misconduct: Disciplinary procedures for the teaching profession May 2020

Ref: TRA-00116-2018

PDF, 269 KB, 46 pages

Teacher misconduct: Disciplinary procedures for the teaching profession April 2018

PDF, 396 KB, 33 pages

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Details

For cases received prior to 19 May 2020, the procedures dated April 2018 will be followed.

This is for:

• teachers
• hearing witnesses
• employers
• supply agencies
• members of the public
• other relevant organisations

It applies to:

• local-authority-maintained schools
• free schools and academies
• pupil referral units
• non-maintained special schools
• independent schools
• sixth-form colleges
• youth custody settings
• children’s homes

It aims to inform teachers, hearing witnesses and employers (or employment or supply agencies) of what will happen at each stage of the investigation, hearing and decision-making processes.

Please also read ‘Teacher misconduct: the prohibition of teachers’.

The system is operated by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA), an executive agency of the Department for Education, on behalf of the Secretary of State.

Pupil referral units provide education for children who can’t go to a mainstream school.

Non-maintained special schools provide education for children with special educational needs that the Secretary of State for Education has approved under section 342 of the Education Act 1996.