Department for Education (DfE) launched, with the General Teaching Council for England (GTC) ceasing operations.
The Teaching Agency is now responsible for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), the issue of induction certificates, hearing induction appeals and the regulation of the teaching profession in England.
The Education Act 2011 confirms that all GTC sanctions will remain in force following the GTC’s closure with the exception of reprimands.
The closing of the GTC and opening of the Teaching Agency stems from cabinet minister Francis Maude’s October 2010 announcement of a cross-government review of all public bodies, with at least £2.6bn of administration savings and £30bn in programme and capital spending targeted.
This also saw the opening of the Standards & Testing Agency on 1 October 2011, with the National College and the Education Funding Agency also opening 1 April 2012.
The Department's agencies and policy directorates share back office services such as HR, IT support and communications, in order to deliver efficiency savings.
