School Reps' Handbook > Appendix

Appendix 2 - Code of Professional Conduct

The following is a list of action already declared to be unprofessional but this is not exclusive. All actions which are alleged to be injurious to the interests of the profession or the professional honour of any member can be referred to the appropriate Committee for adjudication.

  1. For any teacher to take an appointment from which, in the judgement of the NUT Executive, a member of the Union has been unjustly dismissed.
  2. For any teacher to make a report on the work or conduct of another teacher without at the time acquainting the teacher concerned with the nature of it, if it be a verbal report, or without showing it, if it be written and allowing the teacher concerned to take a copy of it. See footnotes (i) to (iv) below.
  3. In any case of dispute between members of the NUT settled by arbitration under Rule 52 for any member not to abide by the decision.
  4. For any teacher to censure other teachers or to criticise their work in the hearing of the pupils and other persons not directly involved in the running of the school.
  5. For any teacher to seek to compel another teacher to perform outside the ordinary school hours, any task which is not essentially connected with the ordinary work and organisation of the school.
  6. For any teacher to impose upon another teacher out of the ordinary school hours, an excessive and unreasonable amount of work of any kind.
  7. For any teacher to discriminate, to harass or be guilty of discriminatory or offensive remarks by reference to the race, nationality, colour, ethnic origin, disability, gender or sexual orientation of others including, in particular, colleagues and pupils.
  1. Whilst primarily the word 'teacher' in Article (b) of the Professional Conduct Code has been regarded as being applicable to serving teachers and those actively and professionally engaged in education, the committee reserves the right to examine references to it under the Professional Conduct Code concerning any member of the Union other than those professionally engaged in the service of education.
  2. When a report is made by a teacher on the work or conduct of another teacher, it should be shown to the teacher concerned before it is submitted and the teacher allowed to take a copy of it.
  3. Where a teacher gives the name of another teacher or member as a referee, he/she takes, in accordance with normal practice, a risk as to the nature and contents of the reference which the referee may give. Accordingly, any reference so given is not regarded by the Executive as a report within the meaning of the above article.
  4. Article (b) of the Code applies to all references other than those requested by the member of his/her own free choice, i.e., if an appointing authority or other body requires a reference from the applicant's present head, the head should show a copy of the reference to the applicant before it is submitted.
  5. Subject, so far as the final decision is concerned, to Appendix III of the Union Rules, cases arising under Article (g) of the Code will be dealt with in complete confidentiality provided that:
    1. this is the wish of the complainant; and
    2. that the complainant herself or himself maintains confidentiality.
    School representatives should refer to the Union's regional office any matters in respect of the Union's code of professional conduct.