Two thirds of teacher misconduct panels in 2017-18 resulted in the teacher being banned from the profession, according to newly published figures.
This afternoon the Department for Education published the annual report and accounts for the National College for Teaching and Leadership for the year to 31 March 2018.
In November 2017 the DfE announced that the NCTL was being abolished, with its recruitment functions absorbed into the department and its regulatory role spun off into a new Teaching Regulation Agency.
According to the annual report for the now defunct NCTL, in 2017-18 it received 891 misconduct referrals.
In the same year it investigated and concluded 925 cases of alleged serious misconduct, with 88 per cent of referrals being concluded or referred to a professional conduct panel within 20 weeks - against a target of 95 per cent.
Of the 137 professional conduct panels held in 2017-18, 91 (66 per cent) resulted in teachers being banned from the profession. Eight panels (6 per cent) found no finding of fact.
According to the report, the NCTL fell short of its target to conclude or refer to a panel 95 per cent of cases within 20 weeks partly because of the fall-out from the Trojan Horse scandal.
In May 2017 disciplinary proceedings against five teachers - including three former heads - involved in an alleged Islamist plot to takeover schools in Birmingham were dropped, following an “abuse of process”.
The NCTL report states: “The 20 week investigation key performance indicator fell short of the target, due in part: to the transition of cases to a single presenting officer firm following the discontinuance of the Birmingham School cases and the dismissal of the legal firm involved; and internal capacity and capability issues.”
The report adds: “Following the discontinuance of the five senior leadership Trojan Horse cases due to procedural irregularity (specifically disclosure issues) in May 2017, the secretary of state requested that an internal independent review be undertaken of the Agency’s handling of complex cases.
“Following the internal review of how complex teacher misconduct cases are administered, a number of recommendations were made to strengthen our processes and procedures.”
