Education Act 2002

[F1Teacher misconduct etc: EnglandE+W

141ATeachers to whom sections 141B to 141E applyE+W

(1)Sections 141B to 141E apply to a person who is employed or engaged to carry out teaching work at—

(a)a school in England,

(b)a sixth form college in England,

[F2(ba)a 16 to 19 Academy,]

(c)relevant youth accommodation in England, or

(d)a children's home in England.

(2)In subsection (1)—

• “children's home” has the same meaning as in the Care Standards Act 2000;

• “teaching work” means work of a kind specified in regulations under this section (and such regulations may make provision by reference to specified activities or by reference to the circumstances in which activities are carried out).

141BInvestigation of disciplinary cases by Secretary of StateE+W

(1)The Secretary of State may investigate a case where an allegation is referred to the Secretary of State that a person to whom this section applies—

(a)may be guilty of unacceptable professional conduct or conduct that may bring the teaching profession into disrepute, or

(b)has been convicted (at any time) of a relevant offence.

(2)Where the Secretary of State finds on an investigation of a case under subsection (1) that there is a case to answer, the Secretary of State must decide whether to make a prohibition order in respect of the person.

(3)Schedule 11A (regulations about decisions under subsection (2)) has effect.

(4)In this section—

• a “prohibition order” means an order prohibiting the person to whom it relates from carrying out teaching work;

• “teaching work” has the same meaning as in section 141A(1);

• “relevant offence”, in relation to a person, means—

  (a)

  in the case of a conviction in England and Wales, a criminal offence other than one having no material relevance to the person's fitness to be a teacher, and

  (b)

  in the case of a conviction elsewhere, an offence which, if committed in England and Wales, would be within paragraph (a).

141CList of persons prohibited from teaching etcE+W

(1)The Secretary of State must keep a list containing—

(a)the names of persons in relation to whom a prohibition order has effect, and

(b)the names of persons who have begun, but have failed satisfactorily to complete, an induction period under section 135A in such circumstances as may be prescribed.

(2)The Secretary of State may include on the list the name of any person who has been prohibited from teaching in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland that the Secretary of State thinks appropriate to include on the list.

(3)The Secretary of State must secure that, where the name of a person is included on the list because an interim prohibition order has effect in respect of the person, there is an indication on the list to that effect.

(4)The Secretary of State must secure that, where the name of a person is included on the list because the person has failed satisfactorily to complete an induction period under section 135A, there is an indication on the list to that effect.

(5)The list may contain such other information in relation to the persons whose names are included on it as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

(6)The list must be available for inspection by members of the public.

(7)In this section—

• “prohibition order” has the same meaning as in section 141B;

• “interim prohibition order” means an order made by virtue of paragraph 3 of Schedule 11A.

141DSupply of information following dismissal, resignation etcE+W

(1)This section applies where a relevant employer has ceased to use the services of a teacher because the teacher has been guilty of serious misconduct.

(2)This section also applies where a relevant employer might have ceased to use the services of a teacher as mentioned in subsection (1) had the teacher not ceased to provide those services.

(3)The employer must consider whether it would be appropriate to provide prescribed information about the teacher to the Secretary of State.

(4)In this section—

• “relevant employer” means—

  (a)

  a local authority;

  (b)

  a person exercising a function relating to the provision of education on behalf of a local authority;

  (c)

  the proprietor of a school [F3or 16 to 19 Academy];

  (d)

  a sixth form college corporation;

  (e)

  a person who employs a person to teach in a children's home or in relevant youth accommodation;

• “education” includes vocational, social, physical and recreational training;

• “children's home” has the same meaning as in the Care Standards Act 2000;

• “services” includes professional and voluntary services;

• “teacher” means a person within section 141A(1).

141ESupply of information by contractor, agency etcE+W

(1)This section applies where arrangements have been made by a person (the “agent”) for a teacher to carry out work at the request of or with the consent of a relevant employer (whether or not under a contract) and the agent has terminated the arrangements because the teacher has been guilty of serious misconduct.

(2)This section also applies where the agent—

(a)might have terminated the arrangements as mentioned in subsection (1) had the teacher not terminated them, or

(b)might have refrained from making new arrangements because of the teacher's serious misconduct had the teacher not ceased to be available for work.

(3)The agent must consider whether it would be appropriate to provide prescribed information about the teacher to the Secretary of State.

(4)In this section “relevant employer” and “teacher” have the same meanings as in section 141D.]