This book chronicles the history of the struggle to promote a self-governing body for the teaching profession from its early problems at the start of the twentieth century right through to the establishment of the General Teaching Council of England in 2000. It also explores the interest groups and policy makers who impeded its achievement and the attitude of teacher unions and the teachers themselves to the establishment of such a body. The book will be of interest to academics, researchers and historians, as well as postgraduate students.