The number of referrals to Scotland’s teaching watchdog has risen by 12 per cent in one year, with most coming from employers rather than the public.

Figures revealed in the General Teaching Council for Scotland annual report, published yesterday, show that the watchdog received 181 new cases during the 2018-19 financial year - up from 162 new cases received in 2017-18.

The profile of those making referrals regarding teachers’ conduct or competence also changed last year, according to the body, with fewer referrals from the public but more from local authority employers.

Quick read: Teacher banned after sex talk and racist remark

Disciplinary case: Teacher struck off for Facebook messages to girl

Fitness-to-teach panel: Teacher struck off after boy drank and stayed overnight

A total of 55 cases were referred by the public - down from 71 cases the previous year - and 56 cases were referred by employers, up from 38 in 2017-18. Employers, therefore, were responsible for just over 30 per cent of referrals last year, but just 23 per cent in 2017-18.

Teacher misconduct investigations

However, while referrals rose in 2018-19, the number of teachers barred from the classroom fell - from 27 struck off in 2017-18 to 20 last year.

The GTCS suggests in the report that the higher levels of referrals it had received from employers “may be as a result of the work of our development officers to promote better engagement”.

The body recently appointed two new development officers who have been engaging with local authorities, teachers and parent bodies in order to increase understanding and awareness about the role of the GTCS.

A GTCS spokeswoman said: “We believe that fitness-to-teach referrals could have increased due to a number of reasons, including a greater understanding of the fitness-to-teach process as a result of the engagement work of our new development officers with local authorities, and due to sustained effort to explain the process with registrants and other stakeholders through the publication of articles in Teaching Scotland magazine [for GTCS members] and through other GTCS communications.”

There was also an increase in self-referrals from teachers - there were just five of these in 2017-18, but that rose to 19 last year. The remaining referrals came from Disclosure Scotland (45) - which carries out criminal record checks - and from “other sources”, including the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

The GTCS told Tes Scotland that people self-referred for many reasons and that the majority came as a result of teachers filling in job applications and being asked for information on any convictions, including driving offences.

A spokeswoman added: “Other self-referrals come from registrants who are being open and honest about developments they think we should be aware of, such as involvement in a police matter.

“All referrals are considered by GTCS in line with our threshold policy, and a decision is then made by GTCS on whether or not to open an investigation.”

A teacher was struck off in January this year for admitting a string of allegations of inappropriate behaviour, including making sexual references to colleagues and a racist remark to a pupil.

In August, a drama teacher was struck off for sending Facebook messages to a 14-year-old female pupil, including asking for photographs of her.

The GTCS annual report points out that the fitness-to-teach referrals it received last year involved just 0.24 per cent of registrants.

The overwhelming majority of fitness-to-teach cases relate to conduct (125), with competence referrals remaining low (5).