GENERAL TEACHING COUNCIL FOR ENGLAND AND TEACHERS' RIGHT TO A PRIVATE LIFE

That this House notes the recent General Teaching Council for England consultation on a revised Code of Conduct and Practice for Teachers; recognises the need for the Council to set standards within its terms of reference; expresses concern that under the proposed code teachers would always be expected to be on duty, as they would be judged on their leisure time outside school, including at home, during the weekends and holidays; believes that while teachers must be expected to act within the law at all times, it would be unacceptable for the code to interfere in every registered teacher's right to a private life; and further believes that the profession should be involved in a debate about the extent to which teachers' professional and private lives are separate before such revisions are made to the code.