Stephen Barclay – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Barclay on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 5.1.2 of the report of the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Tackling Radicalisation and Extremism, published in December 2013, how many people have been barred from managing or teaching at independent schools because of involvement with or links to extremism under the new regulations.

Mr Edward Timpson

New regulations enabling the Secretary of State to bar individuals from taking part in the management of independent schools came into force in September 2014. A number of cases are under consideration.

These regulations cover individuals involved in the management of independent schools rather than teachers. The Teachers’ Standards were amended in September 2012 to require that teachers uphold public trust in the profession by not undermining fundamental British values. The National College of Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) takes decisions on whether to bar individuals from teaching and guidance to teacher misconduct panels issued in July 2014 makes clear behaviour that promotes extremism is likely to be considered incompatible with being a teacher. Four individuals are currently subject to Interim Prohibition Orders by NCTL preventing them from teaching for reasons relating to extremism.

We will investigate and take action wherever we find evidence of extremism.