Home > about GTCS > Statutory Functions and Initiatives Who we are The Council Council Appointments Corporate Management Team History of GTCS Vacancies Contact Us What we do Statutory Functions and Initiatives Consultations Give feedback Complaints about GTCS Equality and Diversity Statistics Publications Freedom of Information Who We Work With Memoranda of Understanding Partners Statutory Functions and Initiatives GTCS carries out a wide range of statutory functions and initiatives to promote, support and develop the professional learning of teachers. Our functions include: Statutory Functions Maintaining a register of teachers in Scotland Setting the Professional Standards expected of all teachers Accrediting programmes leading to the award of GTCS Standards, including Initial Teacher Education programmes at Scottish universities Advising the Scottish Government on matters relating to Scotland’s teachers and teacher professionalism Providing public protection and assuring the high quality of the teaching profession by investigating and adjudicating on the Fitness to Teach of registrants through robust and fair regulation processes Initiatives Supporting the successful operation of the Teacher Induction Scheme which provides a guaranteed one-year full-time probationer post to every eligible student graduating with a teaching qualification from one of Scotland's universities Managing and signing off teachers’ Professional Update which confirms that they have engaged in ongoing professional learning and reflected against the appropriate GTCS Professional Standards Providing a dedicated MyGTCS online account to all registrants, enabling them to log their professional learning and access a range of support tools As part of MyGTCS, developing MyPL - a national e-portfolio for all teachers to support and develop their professional learning Operating and promoting the Professional Recognition initiative which supports teachers’ expertise and experience and which accredits professional learning Administering the Student Placement System which is used by universities, local authorities and schools to place student teachers in schools Publishing Teaching Scotland magazine, which issues five times a year to everyone on the teaching register Celebrating, promoting and encouraging professionalism and professional learning communities and organisations through our Promoting and supporting the profession through a range of seminars, webinars, conferences, and research We work hard to strike the appropriate balance between our role as a regulator of the teaching profession and our work to develop the professional learning of teachers; we believe that these roles complement one another and are in the long-term interests of our children and young people. Values At GTCS we have a shared set of values that speak for who we are, how we work and how we want to be seen as a national educational organisation. Our values were chosen by GTCS Council members and staff. We agreed that incorporating these values in our day-to-day work would contribute to making GTCS a modern and effective organisation that is a positive influence on education in Scotland. Our values are: Fairness Integrity Trust and Respect Professionalism Sustainability We respect these values in our day-to-day work and in our interaction with one another and stakeholders. We endeavour to: Have fairness at the heart of everything we do Act with integrity in all of our work Have trust and respect for each other and our stakeholders Act professionally at all times Encourage sustainable practices in our work