The Chartered College of Teaching is the recognised professional body for the teaching profession in the United Kingdom. The college was founded in 1846 and was incorporated by royal charter as The College of Preceptors in 1849. A supplemental charter was granted in 1998 changing the College's name to The College of Teachers. A further supplemental charter granted in 2017 changed the college's name to The Chartered College of Teaching, updated its objects and gave it the right to award the professional status of Chartered Teacher. The college's patron is Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
History
The college was founded in 1846 by a group of private schoolmasters from Brighton who were concerned about standards within their profession. A provisional committee was set up in early 1846 under the chairmanship of Henry Stein Turrell, principal of the Montpelier House School in Brighton. After meetings in London and Brighton a general meeting was held at the Freemason's Tavern in Great Queen Street, London, on 20 June 1846. Some 300 schoolmasters attended, some 60 members enrolled and founding resolutions were passed, including: The college created a system for the formal examination and qualification of secondary school teachers. It was also one of the first bodies to examine and provide certificates for secondary school pupils of both sexes, from all over England and Wales, in a wide variety of subjects. In 1873 it became the first institution to appoint Professors of Education, During the 1870s the college helped to establish education as a subject worthy of study at university level, resulting in the appointment of Joseph Payne as the first Professor of Education in 1873. The power to appoint Professors of Education is recognised in the college's current royal charter. Frances Buss and Sir John Adams were also connected to the college. During the 1950s the college pioneered management training schemes for teachers. On 21 February 1981 the college was granted armorial bearings. Until 2016 the college awarded a range of professional qualifications for teachers aligned to university qualifications up to and including doctoral fellowships.
Objects
Under the 1849 Charter the objects of the college were: 'promoting sound learning and of advancing the interests of education more especially among the middle Classes by affording facilities to the Teacher for the acquiring of a sound knowledge of his Profession and by providing for the Periodical Session of a competent Board of Examiners to ascertain and give Certificates of the acquirements and fitness for their office of persons engaged or desiring to be engaged in the Education of Youth particularly in the Private Schools of England and Wales The current objects of the college, since 2017, are: 'the promotion of sound learning and the improvement and recognition of the art, science and practice of teaching for the public benefit
Journals
The Educational Times published 1847–1923
Education Today published quarterly until December 2016
Impact published termly from May 2017
Books
Membership designations
The Chartered College of Teaching has the following membership designations or post-nominals. These include:
MCCT - NQT Membership
MCCT - Full Membership
FCCT - Fellowship
Fellowship of the college, must be nominated by a peer, and is based on the following criteria:
Must hold high academic and educational oriented qualifications;
Must be senior teachers of at least ten years standing;
Must have made a significant contribution to the teaching profession; and/or
Must serve in educational management at a senior level.
Historic Affiliates This is a closed category of membership, consisting of those members continuing in the grade of membership they previously held in the College of Teachers, whose membership of the College of Teachers dates from before 1 September 2015.