Unions boycott online check of teacher records

Teachers' unions are urging a boycott of a new website that will tell parents whether teachers have been cleared to work with children.

Developers of the website "peaceofminduk.net" will charge teachers £12 to show on the internet that they have a certificate from the Criminal Records Bureau.

The scheme was devised by Marie Gildea, of FT Multi Media, a production company based in Luton. She said the Data Protection Act prevented parents from finding out whether their children's teachers had been cleared by the bureau to work in schools.

In a letter to union leaders outlining the plan, she said: "With media coverage of child abuse, Sarah's Law and the more recent Holly and Jessica tragedy, there is an increasing need amongst parents to feel confident in all persons responsible for the care of children and vulnerable adults."

She told The Independent: "It shouldn't be up to one person – the head – to decide whether [teachers are] OK to be working with children in their schools. Parents should be able to check."

ButEamonn O'Kane, general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, said the website could prey on the fears of parents, and was potentially divisive. "Teachers may feel under pressure to pay the £12 fee to sign up if their colleagues have done so. They could also feel vulnerable to allegations from parents if they do not."

Doug McAvoy, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "We have had an approach and have told them we would not get involved in a commercial organisation which seems to be exploiting parents' fears to make money."

Ms Gildea said the website would not be making a profit – 10 per cent of the fees would be given to the ChildLine charity and the rest would be used to cover administration costs. She described the unions' attitude as "quite worrying".

The website, which is due to be launched on 21 November, is likely to include details of support staff and carers in residential schools.

A spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills said: "No website could ever replace the security of an employer making the proper criminal record checks."

He added: "We would advise teachers not to get involved with it in the unlikely event that it starts to operate."