What are the statutory requirements?


The current regulations regarding the expectations of health and physical capacity in regard to teaching are found in three sources.

1.The Education (Health Standards) (England) Regulations 2003 states:

A relevant activity may only be carried out by a person if, having regard to any duty of his employer under Part II of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995(a), he has the health and physical capacity to carry out that activity.

The prescribed activities are:

  • planning and preparing lessons and courses for children;
  • delivering lessons to children;
  • assessing the development, progress and attainment of children;
  • reporting on the development, progress and attainment of children;
  • an activity which assists or supports teaching;
  • supervising, assisting and supporting a child;
  • an administrative or organisational activity which supports the provision of education;
  • an activity which is ancillary to the provision of education.

In paragraph (b) “delivering” includes delivery via distance learning or computer-aided techniques.

2.The Education (Specified Work and Registration) (England) Regulations 2012 refers to specified work as:

  • planning and preparing lessons and courses for pupils;
  • delivering lessons to pupils including delivery via distance learning or computer aided techniques.
  • assessing the development, progress and attainment of pupils; and
  • reporting on the development, progress and attainment of pupils.

In paragraph (b) “delivering” includes delivery via distance learning or computer aided techniques.

3.The Teachers’ Standards July 2011 which require that teachers can:

  • establish a safe and stimulating environment for pupils, rooted in mutual respect;
  • manage classes effectively, using approaches which are appropriate to pupils’ needs in order to involve and motivate them;
  • maintain good relationships with pupils, exercise appropriate authority, and act decisively when necessary.

Teachers must also have:

  • proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality.