EWC Logo

EWC / CGA

meeting
Consultation on the revised Code of Professional Conduct and Practice
Consultation on the revised Code of Professional Conduct and Practice

Overview

This consultation, in accordance with the statutory requirement set out in the Education (Wales) Act 2014, seeks the views of EWC registrants, stakeholders, and the general public on a revised draft of the Code of Professional Conduct and Practice for registrants.

How to respond

Responses to this consultation can be made using the online form below, or by downloading this editable form and emailing it to fitnesstopractise@ewc.wales.

The deadline for responses is 12:00 on 28 March 2025

Contact details

For further information, please contact Mrs Susan Street, Head of Fitness to Practise via email, or telephone, 02920 460099.

About the EWC

The Education Workforce Council (EWC) is the independent regulator in Wales for:

  • school teachers*
  • school learning support workers
  • independent school teachers
  • independent school learning support workers
  • further education teachers*
  • further education learning support workers
  • principals or senior leaders working in further education institutions
  • independent special post-16 institution teachers
  • independent special post-16 institution learning support workers
  • work-based learning practitioners
  • adult learning practitioners*
  • youth workers*
  • youth support workers*

* these registration categories require minimum qualifications. For more information, visit www.ewc.wales/register

The EWC was established by the Education (Wales) Act 2014, as amended (the Act). Under the Act, the General Teaching Council for Wales (GTCW) was reconfigured and renamed to become the Education Workforce Council (EWC). The EWC came into being on 1 April 2015.

The primary aims of the EWC are to:

  • contribute to improving standards of teaching and quality of learning in Wales
  • maintain and improve standards of professional conduct amongst  teachers and others who support teaching and learning in Wales
  • safeguard the interests of learners, parents and guardians, and the public, and maintain public trust and confidence in the education workforce

The EWC’s responsibilities include:

  • establishing and maintaining a Register of education practitoners deemed suitable to practise within Wales
  • providing and maintaining a Code of Professional Conduct and Practice for registrants
  • investigating and hearing allegations that may call into question a registered practitioner’s fitness to practise
  • accrediting and monitoring programmes of initial school teacher education in Wales
  • advising Welsh Government and others
  • monitoring and hearing induction appeals
  • promoting careers within the education workforce
  • undertaking specific grant funded work at the invitation of Welsh Government

The Code

The Code of Professional Conduct and Practice (the Code) is a key document. It makes clear to EWC registrants the principle standards of good conduct and professional practice each is expected to uphold in order to remain registered. It also allows learners and young people, and all those involved in their education and training in Wales, particularly parents/guardians, to know what they should expect from registrants.

The EWC is legally required by the Act to publish a code which sets out the standards of professional conduct and practice expected of persons registered. The Act also requires the EWC to review and revise the Code within three years of its publication, or, whenever a new registration category is added. The current version of the Code was last reviewed in May 2024 following the introduction of new categories to the Register of Education Practitioners.

The Education Workforce Council (Main Functions) (Wales) Regulations 2015 (the Regulations) require the Code to contain a minimum provision dealing with the following matters:

  • basing relationships between learners and registered persons on mutual trust and respect;
  • having regard to the safety and well-being of learners
  • working in a collaborative manner with colleagues and other professionals
  • developing and maintaining good relationships with parents, guardians and carers
  • acting with honesty and integrity
  • being sensitive to the need for confidentiality, where appropriate
  • taking responsibility for maintaining the quality of professional practice
  • upholding public trust and confidence in the education workforce

The Regulations also require an EWC Investigating or Fitness to Practise Committee to take into account any failure by a registrant to comply with the Code in any of the disciplinary proceedings against that person.

Proposed Revisions

In drafting the revised Code, the EWC has:

  1. taken account of the 13 workforce groups which the EWC is now required to register and regulate to ensure the Code is relevant to, reflective of and accessible to all

  2. reviewed the Codes of other Regulators, throughout the world and across a range of professions.

  3. considered themes emerging from fitness to practise casework to inform areas of the Code which may need strengthening

In consulting on the revised Code, the EWC welcomes the views of registrants, stakeholders, and the public. No decisions have been made on the proposed revisions and we encourage you to make your views known.

You can view the copy of the draft revised Code, and a copy of the existing Code now.

Consultation response 

We have included a number of questions about the Code which we would like you to answer.

Please consider your responses in conjunction with the statutory responsibilities of EWC (see the information above) in respect of the provision of a Code, and the matters to be included within it. Responses will be collated and considered by the EWC Council who will approve final publication of the revised Code.

Please complete the online form below, or download the editable form and submit your response by email.

The deadline for submission is 12:00 on 28 March 2025

Invalid Input
Invalid Input
Invalid Input
Invalid Input

Questions

1. Is the purpose, scope and status of the revised Code clear and in line with Welsh Government legislation (as set out in the consultation document)?

Invalid Input
Invalid Input

2a. Are the key principles (personal responsibility, knowledge, integrity and working collaboratively) appropriate, relevant and reflective of all registrant groups?

Invalid Input
Invalid Input

2b. Do you agree that introducing a new key principle about leadership is appropriate and relevant?

Invalid Input
Invalid Input

2c. If not (in answer to (a) and/or (b)), what revisions, if any, might be made to the key principles?

Invalid Input
Invalid Input

3a. Are the expectations under each key principle (personal responsibility, knowledge, integrity and working collaboratively) appropriate, relevant to and reflective of all registrant groups?

Invalid Input
Invalid Input

3b. Do you agree that the expectations for leaders and those with management responsibilities is appropriate and relevant?

Invalid Input
Invalid Input

3c. If not (in reply to (a) and/or (b)), what revisions, if any, might be made to the expectations?

Invalid Input
Invalid Input

4. Does the Code offer reassurance to learners, parents, guardians and the general public about the conduct and practice of the education workforce?

Invalid Input
Invalid Input

5. We would like to know your views on the effects the draft Code of Professional Conduct and Practice for registrants with the Education Workforce Council would have on the Welsh language, specifically on:

a) opportunities for people to use the Welsh language; and

b) treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language

Invalid Input
  1. Do you have any other comments?
Invalid Input
Invalid Input
Invalid Input
Invalid Input

What happens next?

We will publish a consultation report on our website in April 2025 and approval for the publication of the revised Code of Professional Conduct and Practice for Registrants will be sought from EWC Council at its meeting in July 2025.